The Houston Rockets lost their eighth consecutive game, 116-101, against the Warriors in their first game back from the All-Star break on Friday night, with Klay Thompson scoring 42 points.
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The undermanned Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 116-101 on Friday night thanks in large part to the 42 points and 12 3-pointers that Klay Thompson scored, matching his season best. After losing 124-111 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, the Warriors battled back in the second game of a road-home back-to-back. Donte DiVincenzo scored 15 points. Jordan Poole scored 15 points, and his 38-footer gave Golden State a 66-49 lead at the break.
TyTy Washington scored 15, Jae’Sean Tate scored 14, and KJ Martin had 22 points and 8 rebounds for the NBA’s worst Rockets (13-46), who dropped their eighth straight game and sixth straight away from home. Thompson hit 12 for 19 from long range to help Golden State start the second quarter on an 18-5 run to take a 44-31 advantage. Thompson went down for good with 1:41 remaining, two points shy of his career high for 3-pointers and four points shy of his season high.
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The Warriors had lost two straight and four of their previous five games before winning their sixth in a row at home. Kevon Looney had 13 rebounds, his sixth game in a row with at least that many. He was the first player since Andrew Bogut in 2014 to accomplish it in four straight games. Draymond Green was classified as probable with an injured right knee but did not play, leaving the reigning champs with three players absent, including Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins.
Curry, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, has missed the last seven games due to a left leg injury suffered in a collision while defending McKinley Wright IV as he drove to the basket against Dallas on Feb. 4. Curry’s shin was struck by Wright’s knee. An MRI revealed partial tears in his left leg’s superior tibiofibular ligament and interosseous membrane. He was also bruised.
Thompson was responsible for 12 of the Golden State’s three-point attempts. He ended the game with 42 points on 12-of-19 shooting. Thompson’s effort against the Rockets was the second time this season that he hit 10 or more three-pointers.
On Nov. 20, he made 10 3-pointers in a 41-point victory over the Rockets. In addition to Thompson, the Warriors received a lift from Donte DiVincenzo, who scored 15 points on five three-pointers. The Warriors’ fans liked them, but Thompson’s 42 made them go crazy.
Watch the match highlights below.
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