Curry, Thompson help Warriors beat Knicks

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots a 3-point basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in San Francisco, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

2022.11.18 – Klay Thompson scored 20 points with four 3-pointers, Stephen Curry added 24 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors beat the New York Knicks 111-101 on Friday night.

Steve Kerr wanted Thompson to relax a little, let the game come to him.

And Thompson is certainly showing signs of finding his shooting groove again.

“I’ve been watching a lot of film,” Thompson said. “Me and Draymond had a great conversation this morning. He just told me to be patient and trust the team. I thought I exemplified that tonight.”

“I thought a lot about that,” Thompson said about being patient.

Andrew Wiggins added 20 points with seven rebound and Draymond Green contributed 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists with two blocked shots.

Thompson hit 4 of his first 6 shots with three 3s for 11 early points.

“It seemed like every time Klay just made an extra pass, the ball started to move and then we got a wide open shot,” Kerr said. “We ended up with 32 assists. It started with early on Klay taking a more patient approach. And then the game rewarded him.”

Jordan Poole scored 13 points off the bench and JaMychal Green 12. He credited a team meeting earlier Friday as the Warriors had a tough conversation about their struggles and “addressed the elephants in the room.”

Thompson called it “a very constructive meeting … an incredible time of growth.”

“I feel like tonight was the best game we’ve put together on the defensive end,” he said.

2022.11.18 – GS Warriors vs. NY Nicks – (NBA Video highlights)

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots a 3-point basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in San Francisco, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

2022.11.18 – GS Warriors vs. NY Nicks – (NBA Video highlights)

Watch this video on YouTube

2022.11.18 – GS Warriors vs. NY Nicks – (NBA Video highlights)

Everyone around the league knows Thompson has been frustrated with his play and pressing all season long. His shot selection was especially troublesome in Wednesday’s loss to Phoenix, but his performance on Friday has to be seen as a step in the right direction. For Thompson, the challenge now becomes maintaining that mind-set until his jumper heats up for good.

Thompson was integral in the Warriors’ first-quarter surge. He made three of his first four shot attempts, which helped Golden State race out to a 12-4 lead. Thompson scored 11 of his 20 points in the first quarter, and threw down his first dunk of the season in the third.

Julius Randle had 20 points and seven rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 18 for the cold-shooting Knicks, who began 5 of 22, shot 34.5% and tried to play catch up all night.

Jalen Brunson struggled on his shot to go 2 for 13 — 1 for 5 from long range — and finish with 13 points for New York coming off a 106-103 win at Denver on Wednesday night. The Knicks had won two straight and three of four but missed matching their longest winning streak so far.

HOME AND ROAD

The Warriors are 7-1 at home and 0-8 on the road.

“I’m actually much more interested in why we’re not playing well on the road than why were are playing well at home,” Kerr said. “I expect to play well at home. We’ve got a good record here over the years and good players, great fans. No reason we shouldn’t control our home court. But we got to start putting it together on the road, too.”

Golden State snapped a three-game home skid to the Knicks and has won its last eight in New York.

2022.11.18 – Splash Bros. Curry & Klay for 44 points (NBC – Post Game)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after a 3-point basket by guard Klay Thompson (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in San Francisco, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

2022.11.18 – Splash Bros Curry & Klay for 44 points (NBC – Post Game)

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2022.11.18 – Splash Bros Curry & Klay for 44 points (NBC – Post Game)

“To me, the road record is directly connected to the defense,” Kerr said.

JaMychal Green steps up

With the Warriors sending James Wiseman to Santa Cruz on Tuesday, that opened the door for veteran forward Green to make his mark in Golden State’s rotation as the team’s backup small-ball 5 after not playing in three of four games entering Wednesday night.

Green played poorly at both ends against the Suns, but he stepped up in a major way against the Knicks, scoring a season-high 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 17 minutes. He also had three rebounds and four assists. The Warriors were plus-8 with Green on the court, the best of any bench player. This was the type of efficient, steady veteran production the team has been waiting on all season.

TIP-INS

Knicks: C Mitchell Robinson sat out with a sprained right knee. … New York lost on the Warriors’ home floor for the first time in four games since a 122-95 defeat on Jan. 8, 2019. … The Knicks missed their initial 10 3-pointers before RJ Barrett connected at the 9:15 mark of the second quarter. Derrick Rose, Jalen Brunson and Immanuel Quickley began a combined 0 for 9 from deep.

Warriors: The Warriors shot just 11 of 20 at the free throw line, Curry missing two and Wiggins three. “It happens, just one random game,” Kerr said. … Thompson passed J.J. Redick (1,950) — in the house working the broadcast — for 16th place on the 3-pointers list. … Veteran F Andre Iguodala is still yet to play as the team monitors his nagging left hip in an effort to keep him healthy for the long haul.…C Kevon Looney has played in 127 consecutive regular-season games, the third-longest active streak. … Golden State built an 18-point lead in the first quarter and kept pushing.

2022.11.18 – Krueg Show; Larry, Dan, Ryan -GSW vs. Knicks– (Post Game)

New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett, foreground, is defended by Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and guard Klay Thompson during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

2022.11.18 – Krueg Show; Larry, Dan, Ryan –GSW vs. Knicks– (Post Game)

Watch this video on YouTube

2022.11.18 – Krueg Show; Larry, Dan, Ryan -GSW vs. Knicks– (Post Game)

UP NEXT

Knicks: At Phoenix on Sunday in the fourth contest in a five-game, seven-day trip. The New York Knicks will play at Oklahoma City on Monday night to complete the back-to-back and finish the swing out West.

Warriors: At Houston on Sunday for the first in a road back-to-back that finishes at New Orleans on Monday night.