The Golden State Warriors have been playing like their balanced, ball-sharing team since Draymond Green returned from his second suspension of the season.
As usual, Stephen Curry is on fire, Andrew Wiggins is regaining his dominance after a sluggish start, and Jonathan Kuminga is blossoming into an incredible facilitator.
On Tuesday night, the Warriors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 119-107 despite guard Klay Thompson missing time due to sickness. Curry scored 37 points with eight 3-pointers, while Kuminga added 26 points.
“It’s exciting,” Green remarked. “I believe things are starting to come together for us now.” All we need to do is tie several victories together.
In his third consecutive game with 30 points or more, Curry shot 12 for 17 while dishing out eight rebounds and seven assists. He had made six or more three-pointers in three straight games, and he had at least 25 points in six straight.
He ended the third quarter with 15 points after making two consecutive three-pointers to help Golden State take a 69-57 lead.
Wiggins chipped in with 23 points, four assists, and five rebounds. Kuminga stated, “Green told us to keep going, no matter what,” and Coach Steve Kerr is grateful for it.
“Draymond’s return really changed things because he connects those guys at both ends of the floor, just by his defensive communication and his ability to organize our offensive offense,” Kerr remarked. It’s wonderful to see Wiggs and JK perform so well individually and in tandem. It’s entertaining to observe how our team is changing a little bit in terms of who and how we play.
With 4:04 remaining and a standing ovation waiting for him, Joel Embiid scored 14 points and Tobias Harris finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Sixers. Kuminga had fallen on his left leg. The center will undergo an MRI on Wednesday, according to coach Nick Nurse.
The Warriors’ 145-144 double-overtime victory over the Lakers on Saturday night, which came after a 134-133 setback to Sacramento on Thursday, was a crucial victory to round off their homestand against 2023 playoff opponents.
After a six-game winning streak, the 76ers suffered their fourth straight loss. Tyrese Maxey missed his third consecutive game due to a sprained left ankle, although they had anticipated he would return for the second night of a back-to-back.
For the sixth time in seven games, Wiggins converted his first five attempts and scored in double digits, helping Golden State win for the third time in nine games. Kuminga now has seven games with 20 or more points, which is a career-best. It is also his most with 24 straight games in which he has scored in double figures.
“There is nobody in the world who can stop you,” Green tells Kuminga, giving him encouragement.
On the day he was selected for the All-Star Weekend Rising Stars roster, Brandin Podziemski scored 11 points to replace Thompson, marking the Warriors’ 16th different starting lineup of the season. The second-most in the league, he drew his twentieth charge.
Golden State had 32 assists from Dario Saric and Draymond Green, who also had nine rebounds and six points.
Moses Moody, a guard with the Warriors, is probably going to make a comeback during the next road trip. After spraining his left calf on January 10, he is now cleared to practice. Chris Paul’s surgically repaired left hand, which he injured on January 5, can resume mild individual on-court exercises while wearing a splint. He will undergo another evaluation in two weeks, according to the Warriors.