Klay Thompson scores 22 in 1st quarter, Warriors throttle Lakers
Stephen Curry’s nagging left leg contusion has made the MVP favorite a slightly less overwhelming figure for opposing defenses, but that doesn’t mean the Golden State Warriors offense looks especially vulnerable. With Curry out or hobbled, the Warriors other two likely All-Stars have stepped up to take on more of the offensive burden. Draymond Green recently drew plaudits for becoming the first Warrior to log three consecutive triple-doubles since 1960, a mark of his maturation into one of the most valuable players in the league. While that streak ended in Tuesday’s road game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Klay Thompson more than picked up the slack.
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Coming into the contest fresh off a 30-point showing vs. the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, Thompson scored 22 points in the first quarter to kickstart Golden State’s eventual 109-88 romp. That number also requires some context, because it’s as many points as the Phoenix Suns scored in the first half of Sunday’s Lakers blowout.
Thompson finished with 36 points (12-of-22 FG, 6-of-12 3FG, 6-of-6 FT) in 34 minutes to pace the Warriors. Meanwhile, the Kobe-less Lakers shot a whopping 31.9 percent from the field.
Yet Curry managed to garner attention even in a relatively nondescript 17-point, six-assist performance. Finishing a lay-in several minutes into the third quarter, Curry was challenged by Roy HIbbert and sustained inadvertent contact to his left leg, aggravating the injury that kept him out of two games and cut short another last week. Take a look at the play here:
Curry stayed in the game as the Warriors put it out of reach with a dominant run, but he sat with 2:46 remaining in the period and was ruled out for the remainder. His post-game session with the media focused on the long-term effects of his ailment:
Curry’s reluctance to sit may seem somewhat foolish given that the Warriors are 33-2 and favorites to repeat. But their ability to reach that goal does not only rest on Curry’s health. The 30-6 Spurs sit just 3 1/2 games behind the Warriors for first place in the West and haven’t yet lost at home, so homecourt advantage could factor into which team moves on in a potential conference finals series. It’s perhaps too early to project so far ahead, especially if Curry or any key Warrior misses time because of a more serious injury, but there is a bit of urgency to keep winning as much as possible right now. Whether it’s the smart move is another question.
Whatever the case, Curry doesn’t seem too bothered by the injury. His choice of bag suggests he’s plenty loose:
May the force be with you, Steph.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
