Warriors knock off Lakers after All-Star break

Golden State Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) center, celebrates a basket during Dubs’ 128-110 win over Los Angeles Lakers during NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, February 22, 2024.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

2024.02.22 – Warriors guard Stephen Curry scored 32 points hitting six 3-pointers, and leading Golden State past the Los Angeles Lakers 128-110 on Thursday night as both teams returned from the All-Star break.

Curry started hitting big shots from the start and the Warriors dominated the Lakers without LeBron James, helping take at least some of the sting out of a double-overtime collapse when the California rivals met last month.

With the makeup of this Golden State roster, Curry has taken it upon himself to be more aggressive from the opening tip.

“Just him and getting the crowd engaged, bringing a lot of energy, I think it fuels us and sets the tone for the rest of the game,” said rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis, who scored 17 points off the bench on his 24th birthday. “Having someone with that caliber shooting the ball like that, you just want to give him as many shots as possible because you know that when he’s in that zone it’s hard to stop.”

With his 6,000th career assist, Curry became the eighth player in NBA history with at least 23,000 points and 6,000 assists — joining James, Russell Westbrook, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and John Havlicek.

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2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (NBA Video highlights)

20Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) right, dribbles the ball in 1st quarter against Los Angeles Lakers during NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, February 22, 2024.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (NBA Video highlights)

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2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (NBA Video highlights)

Curry made nine of his initial 12 shots with five 3s for 25 points by halftime after scoring 16 in the opening period. He had five straight shortly before halftime as the Warriors led 67-56 at the break — his 16th time this season with at least 20 in one half.

The two-time MVP hit six or more 3-pointers for the fifth time in six games and wound up shooting 12 for 24 on the way to his fourth 30-point performance in the last six games.

The All-Star break postponed the surge Curry ensured would resume Thursday by making his first three 3-point tries to set a tone the Warriors would carry over the ensuing three quarters. When the Lakers assigned him additional attention, he seamlessly oscillated from scorer to facilitator. As he would flow, so too would Golden State — drawing Lakers big man Anthony Davis away from the basket on a regular basis.

“I think he feels like it’s OK for him to get going right away,” coach Steve Kerr said, “this team can use that.”

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2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)

Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson steals the ball from Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis during NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, February 22, 2024.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)

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2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)

Anthony Davis had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and D’Angelo Russell contributed 18 points, nine assists and five rebounds to lead the Lakers, who were without James because of a left ankle injury that also sidelined the 39-year-old forward Feb. 14 at Utah before the break.

Los Angeles had its three-game winning streak snapped with just a second defeat in eight games — and this one was a drastic difference from the last meeting when the Lakers rallied from 15 points down to beat the Warriors 145-144 in double overtime at Chase Center on Jan. 27.

James had a triple-double in that game with 36 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists.

Los Angeles coach Darvin Ham called James’ injury a “day-to-day thing.”

“When we wake up in the morning we’ll figure it out,” Ham said.

James has left ankle peroneal tendinopathy, inflammation of the tendons on the outside of his foot.

Andrew Wiggins added 20 points for Golden State, while Jonathan Kuminga reached double figures for a career-best 34th straight game with 12 points.

After Golden State’s ninth win in its past 11 games, Wiggins observed, “We’re all playing together, playing the right way. We’re figuring something out.”

Klay Thompson missed his first six shots and two 3s before connecting from deep with 45 seconds remaining in the third and finished with just three points on 1-for-9 shooting but had five assists and four rebounds.

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2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (Krueger & Crew Post Game)

Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins (22) left, celebrates a basket at the 1st half buzzer against Los Angeles Lakers’ Taurean Prince (12) during NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, February 22, 2024.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (Krueger & Crew Post Game)

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2024.02.22 – Lakers vs. Warriors (Krueger & Crew Post Game)

Jackson-Davis said Thompson told him pregame to set for him pin-down screens or ball screens in transition.

“You’re either going to get a dunk or I’m going to get a shot,” Jackson-Davis said Thompson told him before the game. Thrice pin-down actions became scores for Jackson-Davis at the basket, rendering Thompson effective despite a 1-for-9 night.

“He was so decisive with what he wanted to do with the ball and getting it to Trayce on time” Curry said. “I like that he had fun doing it and that he appreciated the fact that that’s the option that he has on offense.”

When Jackson-Davis wasn’t rolling, Curry was cooking, scoring 25 in a first half after which the Warriors led 67-56. As the Warriors continued to move the ball, their lead continued to swell, sending the Lakers’ Davis to the bench midway through the fourth quarter along with his fellow starters.

Kerr expects veteran guard Chris Paul to return on the upcoming trip after recovering from surgery for a fractured left hand.

The Warriors (28-26) have put themselves firmly back into the playoff picture, holding the West’s No. 10 seed by 3.5 games and trailing the No. 6 seed by 4. They returned to Chase Center on Friday for a game against the Charlotte Hornets, then host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday before a four-game road trip.