Warriors Comeback Bid Falls Short

The Warriors trimmed a 13-point fourth quarter deficit down to one, but ultimately fell just short in a 116-114 home loss to the Knicks on Thursday.

The Warriors had a chance to tie it on the game’s final possession, but Klay Thompson’s jumper hit the back rim as time expired, sending the Dubs to their second defeat in as many nights. The loss snapped the Dubs’ six-game home winning streak, marking just the third time all season the Dubs have lost consecutive games.

“I’m disappointed that we lost but I’m really proud of our guys,” Head Coach Steve Kerr said. “I thought it was a hell of a fight.”

More Stats | Highlights

Stephen Curry had a game-high 35 points and 10 assists, Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga had 17 points apiece, but it wasn’t enough on a night that saw the Knicks get a combined 50 points from Julius Randle and Evan Fournier.

BACK AND FORTH BATTLE
The game featured 15 lead changes and 10 ties, but the Knicks rode big nights from Randle, Fournier and some great perimeter shooting from their bench. The Warriors didn’t have an answer for Randle’s size and strength, as the New York big finished with 28 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Fournier made five 3-pointers to finish with 22 points and five New York reserves combined to shoot 6-for-11 on threes.

KNICKS CONTROL SECOND HALF
The Warriors held a five-point lead at halftime, but New York opened the third period with an 11-0 run. The Knicks did it again to start the fourth quarter, opening that frame with a 9-2 spurt. Those runs put the Warriors in catch-up mode for almost all of the second half.

WARRIORS CHIP AWAY
The Warriors trailed by 13 points with nine minutes left in the fourth period, but five different Warriors player would make a field goal over the next five minutes, and Jordan Poole’s transition layup made it a two-point game with 4:34 left in the game.

The Knicks pushed it back up to eight points after a difficult sequence for the Dubs – technical on Steve Kerr, multiple offensive rebounds by New York resulting in a Quentin Grimes 3-pointer. But still, the Dubs would fight back. Curry scored eight points in the final 2:42 of the game, and New York missed enough free throws down the stretch to give the Dubs a chance at the end.

KUMINGA’S CONTRIBUTIONS
The seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Jonathan Kuminga continued his strong play with 17 points, his fifth straight game scoring in double figures. Kuminga knocked down two of his three 3-pointers and went 5-for-6 on free throws, including two makes from the charity stripe that brought the Dubs within two with 1:07 left in the game.

UP NEXT
Two of the Warriors’ three remaining games before the All-Star Break will be at home, beginning Saturday’s nationally televised showdown against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

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