Stephen Curry dazzled while receiving MVP chants and creating highlight reel plays throughout the game, recording 33 points and a game-high seven three-pointers as the Golden State Warriors routed the Los Angeles Clippers 105-90 on Sunday afternoon at Staples Center.
The Warriors (18-2) extended their winning streak to eight games with the win while the Clippers fell to an 11-9 overall record on the season.
Curry also recorded a season-high six steals to go along with six assists and five rebounds. Otto Porter Jr. had 18 and 10 rebounds, while Jordan Poole scored 13 of his 17 in the third quarter, making four threes for the Warriors.
Golden State held a two-point advantage at the half and a 75-68 lead through 36 minutes of play, but the momentum changed profoundly once Curry grew frustrated after being shoved out of bounds while receiving no foul call 9:07 into the fourth.
The former unanimous MVP furiously approached the referee and voiced his frustrations on the play, immediately being hit with a technical foul.
“That was as upset as I’ve seen him and that I have been in a long time. He clearly got fouled,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “When he knows he got fouled on a play like that and he doesn’t the call the competitor will come out in him and he will lose his mind a little bit. But it will spur him like it did in this instance.”
“I’d love to control that moment because if you don’t, it spirals into doing something other than what you’re supposed to be doing out there and overdo it,” Curry said. “So, let it out and play basketball.”
Curry responded in a big way by hitting three straight three-point shots, helping carry a 21-7 run in a five-minute span that allowed the Warriors to put the game quickly out of reach with leading by as much as 21 in the final period.
“I kind of laugh afterward because I know what it is. It’s competition, it’s intensity, it’s desire because I want it so bad,” Curry added. “You get into certain situations where it’s like a playoff-type of atmosphere. It’s a grind-it-out type of mode and whatever it takes to get going. Once the spark is lit and I let the emotions fly, however long that lasts. As soon as there’s an intentional moment or a voice in your head like, ‘Let’s play basketball’.”
The Warriors ultimately converted 17 three-pointers on 42.5 percent shooting and held the Clippers to 32 percent on nine makes. Golden State forced Los Angeles into tough shots throughout the game and proved to be the more energetic unit while recording a season-high 19 steals.
Paul George led the Clippers with 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a losing effort. Eric Bledsoe and Marcus Morris added 13 apiece for Los Angeles.
“Give them credit defensively. They’re No. 1 for a reason. They’re a tough defensive team,” George said. “But a lot of it was just careless, mishandled, you know, I had a couple where it just fumbled, just bobbled the ball around. It was just one of those nights where we were just poor as ball-handlers.”
“We’ve been talking about it for, I guess, the whole season — just taking care of the basketball. If we turn the ball over against this team, they’re gonna make you pay,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. We got to do a better job with our decision-making … we’re just not making the right play right now.”
Even with the loss, the Clippers came into the game having won eight of its last 10 home games and will look to bounce back to their winning ways.
“I think we’re still good,” George said. “We still, again, tonight, were in position defensively — well, because of our defense — to win this game tonight. But, you know, I think we can continue to just learn from teams like Golden State with their player movement.”
The Clippers will continue their three-game homestand hosting the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday followed by the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
