Warriors snap road losing skid, rout Rockets

Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) left dribbles the ball as Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. (1) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 20, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

2023.03.20 – Stephen Curry scored 30 points and Klay Thompson added 29 as the Golden State Warriors snapped an 11-game road skid with a 121-108 rout over the Houston Rockets on Monday night.

The game was close most of the way before the Warriors used a 12-2 spurt early in the fourth quarter to pull away and hold on for their first win away from home since Jan. 30 at Oklahoma City.

“It’s been a long time,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I don’t remember the last road game we won. It’s been a while.”

When told that it had been almost three months since the Warriors last got a victory on the road, Kerr continued.

“Thanks,” he said. “That doesn’t make me feel any better. We needed it.”

Added Thompson: “It’s nice to snap an ugly streak like that. That (was) gross.”

The Rockets used an 11-2 run, led by six points from Kevin Porter Jr., later in the fourth to get within seven with about two minutes to go. But Thompson made a 3-pointer to start a 5-0 run that made it 118-106 with a minute remaining.

The Warriors, who moved into sixth place in the Western Conference with the win, have been great at home this season (29-7) but have struggled on the road, where Monday’s win improved them to just 8-29.

2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (NBA Video highlights)

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket as Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 20, 2023, in Houston. The Warriors won 121-108. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (NBA Video highlights)

Watch this video on YouTube

2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (NBA Video highlights)

Monday was the fourth game of a season-high-tying five-game road trip that started with losses against the Clippers, Hawks and Grizzlies.

“We know we still have to play better,” Curry said. “Nobody’s really celebrating anything.”

Kerr was disappointed with the way the Warriors played in the first half, when they had 14 turnovers.

“We were not focused at all,” he said. “The second half we did a better job of taking care of the ball and getting some better possessions offensively.”

The Rockets got 21 points and 12 rebounds from Tari Eason. Jalen Green added 20 on a night when they dropped their second in a row following a season-long three-game winning streak.

Houston rookie Jabari Smith Jr. talked about why things got away from the Rockets in the fourth quarter.

“Just us being careless a little bit,” he said. “Fatigue set in a little bit from playing (Sunday) against that tough Pelicans team. We fought … but came up short.”

A 3-pointer by Daishen Nix got the Rockets within three early in the fourth quarter before the Warriors scored the next eight points, with 3s from Curry and Anthony Lamb, to make it 98-87 with about nine minutes to go.

2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (NBC Sports Post Game)

Houston Rockets’ Tari Eason (17) goes up for a shot as Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) and Donte DiVincenzo (0) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 20, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (NBC Sports Post Game)

Watch this video on YouTube

2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (NBC Sports Post Game)

Golden State was up by just four points at the start of the fourth quarter when Curry checked in. He quickly drove straight into the heart of the Rockets’ defense for a layup, proving to everyone in attendance that his back.

The Warriors then enjoyed one of their better offensive stretches in days. Starting with Curry’s layup with 11:45 left, they outscored the Rockets 25-15 over the next 7:10 to build up a 16-point lead with 4:35 left.

Josh Christopher made a layup for Houston, but the Warriors took advantage of turnovers on consecutive possessions to score four quick points and push the lead to 102-89 with 7 1/2 minutes to go.

Eason added a basket for the Rockets after a timeout. But Golden State used a 6-2 surge, with 3-pointers from Thompson and Lamb, to make it 108-93 midway through the quarter.

Houston led by one after a 3-pointer by Usman Garuba with about 2 1/2 minutes left.

The Warriors ended the quarter with a 7-2 run, with five points from Jonathan Kuminga, to take an 84-80 lead into the fourth.

Houston cut Golden State’s lead to seven with 1:47 left, but a Thompson 3-pointer pushed the Warriors’ lead back up to 10 and made sure the Rockets weren’t back in the game after all. The 33-year-old scored 10 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter with two 3s to help the visiting team escape an opposing arena victorious for the first time since Jan. 30.

2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (Kruger Show post game)

Houston Rockets’ Josh Christopher (9) steals the ball from Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 20, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (Kruger Show post game)

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2023.03.20 – Warriors @ Rockets (Kruger Show post game)

“It feels good,” Curry said. “It’s one of those feelings you’re supposed to have, just to walk off the court with a couple more smiles on our faces and something to show for it. We still know we have to play better. Nobody’s really celebrating anything. It’s just a matter of learning lessons in wins and we’re getting ready for another big game on Wednesday.”

Golden State avoided falling under .500 for the first time since Feb. 23. Sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference after Monday’s win, it sets up a critical matchup Wednesday night in Dallas against a seventh-place Mavericks team just a half-game behind them in the standings with nine regular-season games left. Their season series is tied 1-1.

“We were not focused at all,” Kerr said. “I thought we did a better job in the second half of taking care of the ball and getting some better possessions offensively. And I thought the key combo out there at the start of the fourth quarter was Draymond, (Anthony) Lamb and Kuminga. They started switching everything, a really good three-man combo defensively and we strung together a bunch of stops and that gave us the lead.”

TIP-INS

Warriors: Andrew Wiggins remained out because of a family matter, the team said. … Kuminga had 17 points off the bench. … Kevon Looney had 11 points and 10 rebounds despite dealing with back soreness. … Golden State made 17 of 48 3-pointers.

Rockets: Alperen Sengun missed the game with an illness. … Jae’Sean Tate sat out for ankle injury management. … Smith had 17 points and 11 rebounds. … Porter scored 17 points with five rebounds and five assists.