What we learned as Steph’s eruption saves the Dubs in a win against the Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayare
SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors led after the first quarter, the second quarter and the third quarter on Saturday night at the Chase Center. It looked like they were going to squander the lead in the fourth quarter.
Until Steph Curry said otherwise in a thrilling 125-116 overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Curry put on a superstar fourth quarter and overtime performance that will be seen in all the highlight shows. He led the Warriors with 36 points. The slow start of the all-time legend did not bother him.
Of his 36 points, 29 came between the second half and overtime.
Klay Thompson dropped 22 points, Donte DiVincenzo’s 20 points were huge, and JaMychal Green scored a season-high 18 points off the bench. For so long, the Bucks have been the better team — even without their best player, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Down the stretch, the Warriors’ persistence on their home court earned them a win to snap a three-game losing streak.
Here are three results from the Warriors, who improved to 35-33 on the season and 28-7 at home.
The other half of Splash Brothers
At halftime, JaMychal Green was the Warriors’ leading scorer with 13 points. DiVincenzo was right behind with 12. The Splash Brothers — Curry and Thompson — combined for … 11 points.
Curry was 3 of 9 in the first half and made just one of his five shots from beyond the arc. Thompson had three fouls and only one shot. Then came the second half.
Klay came alive with 11 points and three three-pointers in the third quarter. Curry added seven as the Warriors held a slim lead in the fourth. However, the last period in regulation was around number 30.
He scored 13 points in the fourth, his clutch gene oozing from his right hand. Enjoy everything. Three days before his 35th birthday, Curry was reminded of just how special he truly is.
In overtime, Curry added nine more points, and Thompson also scored four for Golden State. They are the best backfield shooters ever for a reason. This was a statement and a loud reminder of why.
Milwaukee men
Milwaukee natives Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole traded places Saturday night in San Francisco. Poole returned to the bench and Looney in the starting line-up. Here’s how the two played against the home team.
Looney did what he always does, walked away from all the minutiae of the game. The rim wasn’t kind to Looney all night as he shot 3 of 11. But he also finished with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds.
He also grabbed a career-high five steals.
Poole’s up and down season continued. He recorded all four assists in the first quarter. He scored 13 points off the bench, but had a total of 4 of 13 shots.
Then there’s DiVincenzo. The former Buck enjoyed another great game against his old team. In addition to his 20 points, DiVincenzo made six 3-pointers and had 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals. The eye test matched the advanced numbers as DiVincenzo was a plus-17.
Breaking the curse of the first quarter
Hug a friend, share a kiss and crack open a cold one. For what seems like an eternity, the Warriors finally took the lead after the first quarter. In reality, it took a month.
Although it ended with Bobby Portis’ corner three at the buzzer, the Warriors led 28-26 in the second quarter. It’s the first time since February 11, exactly one month ago, that the Warriors have been better after the first quarter.
They have had 11 straight games without a lead after one period, and have trailed in 10 of those.
The end of the ugly streak came with a surprising collaborator. Curry wasn’t the one putting on the show. He had just two points and missed both three-point attempts. Thompson scored four points and picked up two early fouls.
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It was JaMychal Green who put up the points in bunches. The veteran big man scored 11 points in just under six minutes off the bench, going 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 on 3-pointers.
The Warriors committed one turnover less than the Bucks in the first quarter, had three more assists and grabbed two more rebounds than them. That works. Now it’s about the Warriors repeating their success from the first quarter and avoiding the first holes.