SAN FRANCISCO – Sometimes, the seventh time's the charm.
The Warriors on Monday night snapped their six-game losing streak to avoid a winless six-game homestand, beating the Houston Rockets 121-116 at Chase Center.
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Steph Curry unsurprisingly led the Warriors with 32 points, but this time, Curry received some help. Five Warriors scored in double figures, including a season-high 20 points from Klay Thompson. The Warriors as a team shot 46.8 percent from the field, 48.8 percent from 3-point range and made a season-high 21 3-pointers.
The Rockets took 19 more shots than the Warriors. Life is a bit easier when outside shots are falling for Golden State.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors improving to 7-8 this season.
Point God
Golden State Warriors
What’s a quintessential Chris Paul stat line? Look no further than what Paul produced in the first half as the Warriors led by 10 points. Paul played 17 minutes and was a plus-15 behind seven points, eight assists, five rebounds, one steal and no turnovers.
Paul’s first turnover didn’t come until the opening offensive possession of the fourth quarter when he already was up to a 12-point, 10-assist double-double. His final line was a 15-point, 12-assist double-double on 4-of-7 shooting, along with six rebounds, two steals and that one lone turnover.
The 19-year NBA veteran produced 35 assist points for the Warriors in their win. Nobody was a better recipient than Thompson. While the sharpshooter had his best game of the season, Paul assisted on five of Klay’s seven made shots.
Paul now has three double-doubles this season and four games where he had 10 or more assists.
Klay Joins The 20-Point Club
Playing the Rockets might have been exactly what Thompson needed.
Thompson in the third game of the season scored what still was a season-high 19 points entering Monday against the Rockets on 7-of-12 shooting and 5 of 10 from long distance. Since then, Thompson had averaged a lowly 13 points per game on 37.4 percent shooting, as well as 30.3 percent beyond the arc.
On Monday against Houston and Thompson’s old friend Dillon Brooks, Klay caught fire early. He scored 12 points in a five-minute stretch, knocking down three 3-pointers.
Thompson entered the fourth quarter three points away from scoring 20 or more points for the first time this season. Take a deep breath, the monkey might be off the Splash Brother’s back. With his first shot attempt of the fourth quarter, Thompson finally eclipsed the 20-point mark this season.
There’s no doubt Thompson has been waiting for a game like this, and the Warriors can only hope his efficiency continues, beginning Wednesday night in Phoenix.
Quality Over Quantity
Going an entire quarter where Curry only takes one shot usually isn’t a recipe for Warriors success. That’s how the Warriors’ first quarter went, one where Golden State held a two-point lead after the end of the first 12 minutes. By halftime, Curry had taken just four shots.
And yet, he already was up to 11 points on a 91.7 true shooting percentage. His final four shots of the first half had Curry counting right in front of the Rockets’ bench.
Curry entered the night taking an average of 19.7 shots per game. All he needed against the Rockets were 14 shot attempts to score 32 points, shooting 8 of 14 from the field, 5 of 9 on threes and 11 of 12 at the free throw line. Curry now has scored 20 or more points in all 13 games he has played, 30 or more points seven times and has drained four or more triples in all of his games as well.
He didn’t have to be Superman to put an end to a losing streak. Curry still was his usual self, though.