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After losing three of their past five games, the Golden State Warriors got back on the right side of the standings on Tuesday, defeating the Detroit Pistons 102-86.
The Warriors rewarded rookie Jonathan Kuminga for his recent stretch of good performances with a start for injured star Draymond Green. Kuminga seemed poised for a big game, but rather than Tuesday’s matchup revealing a glimpse into Golden State's future, it ended up reminding fans of the peaks of their recent past.
Andrew Wiggins led the charge early, starting 4-for-5 from the field and helping the Warriors build a 26-13 lead. Not to be left out, Stephen Curry finally began breaking out of his shooting slump, going 2-for-2 from three in the first quarter.
Then, the Splash Brothers finally came back together in the second. Sure, Curry and Thompson have shared the court plenty since Thompson returned from his injuries, but Steph and Klay had not put it all together quite yet. Going up against a flailing Pistons team, the Splash Brothers finally caught fire together in the second quarter. It was a quick reminder of what led the Warriors to five straight NBA Finals, and what could do so again this year.
Thompson and Curry combined for 20 points in the second quarter while Golden State locked up the Pistons defensively. Kuminga continued struggling with fouls but also did not waver defensively. Wiggins, though, was the defensive star. Receiving the toughest perimeter assignment against Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham, Wiggins recorded 3 steals, a block, and helped limit Cunningham to 30% shooting. By halftime, the Warriors were already up 66-38 and were able to put things in cruise control.
Golden State cruised to a 16-point win without a single player scoring more than 21. Thompson finished with a game-high 21 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field. Curry recorded 18 points, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 3 rebounds. Kuminga picked up some buckets in garbage time, but was impressive on the glass, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Curry jammed his finger trying to catch a pass in the third quarter. He continued playing without visible difficulty but went to the locker room and returned to the bench with tape on his left index finger in the fourth quarter. While it did look like a serious injury, it will remain something to watch. The Warriors homestand continues on Thursday, January 20th, where they will host the Indiana Pacers at 7:00 PM Pacific Standard Time.
Looks like I'm having some tech issues trying to stream, so looks like no postgame Twitch tonight. Would've been a fun one, but hopefully, this Warriors team gives us more games like this to talk about throughout the rest of the season.
— Marc Delucchi (@maddelucchi) January 19, 2022
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