Klay Thompson dazzles from deep, Warriors beat Kings 126-114
Feb 3, 2022, 7:29 AM | Updated: Feb 4, 2022, 12:05 am
Sacramento Kings forward Maurice Harkless (8) looks to drive around Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)
(AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Klay Thompson took a flick pass from Stephen Curry in transition then drove hard past Davion Mitchell to the left corner and unleashed an off-balanced baseline 3-pointer that was spot on, raising an arm high to celebrate.
Thompson hit his first seven shots overall and initial six 3-pointers on the way to 23 points and seven assists, and the Golden State Warriors beat the undermanned Sacramento Kings 126-114 on Thursday night for their eighth straight victory.
“I’m happy with the night, but I want to build on this,” Thompson said. “I want to shoot the lights out all the time.”
Thompson knocked down four straight from deep during one dominant second-quarter stretch — including that spectacular 3 that had the Chase Center crowd roaring. Splash Brother Curry just kept sending him the ball.
“It was awesome to see. I love when he’s got that pep in his step and getting rewarded with shots going in,” Curry said. “He can get hot at any moment, he’s got that look in his eye. We love to see that, it’s a big boost for the whole team and for him as well.”
Thompson finished 8 for 11 from the floor with seven 3s and continues to make strides following his 2 1/2-year comeback from surgeries on his left knee and and right Achilles tendon.
“He’s had a couple games where he’s lit it up and caught fire, so this seemed almost routine to me,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Other than that crazy corner 3 when he was super hot, that felt a little out-of-body experience-ish.”
Curry scored 20 points and dished out seven assists playing with foul trouble, while Andrew Wiggins scored 12 in the Warriors’ fourth victory in a row against the Kings and fourth in the series at home.
Mitchell scored 26 points and Harrison Barnes added 25 against his former Warriors team as the Kings completed a back-to-back after a 112-101 win at home against Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
Interim Kings coach Alvin Gentry was on the Warriors staff in 2014-15 during Steve Kerr’s first year and Kerr credits Gentry for teaching him how to coach.
“First of all, I can say that I appreciate the compliment, but Steve worked his butt off from Day One as far as being a head coach,” Gentry said.
Golden State got some of its regulars back after the Warriors won Tuesday night at San Antonio without Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and Wiggins in the second night of a back-to-back.
Rookie Jonathan Kuminga joked he took a shot when he could have passed to Thompson. It worked out just fine.
“I’ve got a chance to play with Klay now and see what he’s been doing for so long,” Kuminga said. “It’s super exciting to be on the court.”
FLOOR LEADER
While his shooting has been up and down, Curry continues to facilitate.
The reigning scoring champion has 71 assists to 24 turnovers his last nine games.
GREEN’S STATUS
Green, named an All-Star reserve and currently sidelined by a lower back injury that caused him a painful calf, is hopeful of returning in 3 to 4 weeks but is pain-free and thrilled he won’t need back surgery.
“When dealing with a back, the one thing I’m not going to do is rush back out there,” he said. “I want to return when I’m 100% confident that I’m healthy, when I feel like I’m in great shape, because the reality is, I don’t want to return not in somewhat of game shape and then, you’re laboring, your mechanics and running is wrong, and all of these things and then you’re compensating, and then I get hurt again.”
Green has resumed shooting after what he considered an encouraging follow-up appointment Monday.
“I think ultimately this will be a positive for me, I’ll come back stronger,” Green said.
TIP-INS
Kings: G De’Aaron Fox missed his seventh straight game because of left ankle soreness, but was a game-time decision. … Marvin Bagley III (left ankle sprain) sat out his third in a row. … Sacramento hasn’t won on the Warriors’ home floor since a 112-94 victory on Feb. 25, 2020, in Chase Center’s inaugural season.
Warriors: Kerr was credited for coaching his 600th NBA game, though Luke Walton guided Golden State the initial 43 games of 2015-16 as Kerr dealt with complications from back surgery. … Veteran Andre Iguodala, who turned 38 on Jan. 28, remained out after staying home from the quick two-game road trip through Texas to nurse a left hip injury. Kerr had hoped to have him back against the Kings, but Iguodala missed his eighth straight game and has been limited to just 25 contests so far. … Kevon Looney has 48 rebounds — 21 offensive — the last four games. … Otto Porter Jr. (left foot) missed his third straight game and Nemanja Bjelica (back spasms) his fourth in a row. … The Warriors are 23-8 against Western Conference teams.
UP NEXT
Kings: Host Oklahoma City on Saturday.
Warriors: At Oklahoma City on Monday night having won five straight in the series including two in a row on the Thunder’s home floor.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
