SAN FRANCISCO — No banners or rings were on the line Saturday night. But the pregame hullabaloo felt different inside Chase Center.
ESPN brought out all the stars for this NBA Finals rematch, as Woj, Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon and Mike Breen were in the house to get an up-close at Steph Curry. And his Splash Brother Klay Thompson.
Klay loves the lights and loves the big stage. He also played like a motivated man after admitting he “fell asleep” on a key late 3-pointer in Wednesday’s loss to the Utah Jazz. He got off to an aggressive start and didn’t let up, as he finished with 34 points in a determined effort to lead the Warriors to a 123-107 win.
"We were able to flush that one in Salt Lake after that collapse," Thompson said. "It’s always great to respond with a great performance and we did that tonight."
The Dubs didn’t need a 43-point gem from Curry like he did in Game 4 to sway the Finals. Not on a night when they generally took care of the ball and played disciplined defense – two of their biggest bugaboos to start the season. Still, Curry dropped 32 and took over in the second half. Sure, Golden State has plenty of room to improve, but they played a brand of basketball that can win in the playoffs. Taking down the NBA-leading Celtics (21-6) – even in December – is no small task.
"These games matter in letting championship-caliber teams know you’re a force to be reckoned with," Curry said.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted there was a bigger buzz in the building with the Celtics back in town.
"The crowd was excited and we were excited," Kerr said. "Just the feeling of playing the team you just played in the Finals. Especially the way they've played this year, they've just been so good, so dominant. I thought we needed a game like that. We’ve been a little bit stuck in the mud. It feels like we’ve gotten better over the last few weeks but not a whole lot to show for it."
It’s worth noting that neither team was at full strength. Jordan Poole scored 20 points while starting for the injured Andrew Wiggins (right adductor strain) who missed his third straight game. Boston’s frontcourt didn’t have the same bite without Al Horford (health and safety protocols) and Robert Williams, who is yet to play this season after undergoing knee surgery earlier this year.
The Warriors passed around defensive responsibilities on MVP frontrunner Jayson Tatum, who never really got in a rhythm and finished with 18 points on 6-of-21 shooting. Aside from his ability to carry the Warriors offense in the first half, when he scored 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, Thompson also helped set the tone on Tatum. Without Wiggins, Thompson drew the initial assignment and held the Celtics star to 0-for-3 through the first few minutes of the contest.
"I cherish being able to move out there and play defense and compete, more than I ever have before," Thompson said. "When you face the best, your game usually reflects that."
Jaylen Brown routinely made tough buckets, but the Warriors got a nice response from Jonathan Kuminga, who played 21 solid minutes off the bench and scored 14 points. Kuminga also threw down a menacing dunk with 9:09 left over Tatum to give the Warriors their biggest lead of the game.
"I thought JK was great," Kerr said. "Just his athleticism and size and strength. To be able to bring him off the bench and put him on Brown or Tatum. ... JK has really helped solidify our defense and given us another weapon that we can put on the best players on the opponent."
Kuminga said he relishes the opportunity to guard the best wings in the league, as he has faced stars like Brown, Tatum and Luka Doncic this season.
"I'm confident in guarding anybody in the league," Kuminga said.
Golden State controlled the tempo of the game throughout, leading by as many as 17 at one point, while the Celtics never led by more than one. Fans endured some nervous moments in the fourth quarter but the Celtics could never close it closer than eight points in the final five minutes.
Curry helped ice the game by breaking off a Draymond Green screen and hitting a 3-pointer with 3:49 left.
The Warriors are set to hit the road for a six-game road trip that will feature two sets of back-to-backs, and Klay is hopeful he can play in consecutive back-to-backs.
"I am so excited for this road trip," Thompson said. "You don’t understand, I haven’t played in these cities in four years. For me, it’s like a breath of fresh air."
