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Third Quarter Dubs Strike Again as Warriors Defeat Clippers

Warriors Have Outscored Opponents 81-33 in Last Two Third Quarters

The Warriors were down by double-digits at halftime for the second consecutive home game and won by double-digits, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 115-91 at Chase Center on Thursday. The Dubs have outscored their opponent 81-33 in their previous two third quarters. For the first time in the shot clock era, the Dubs have won consecutive games by 15 or more points after trailing by double-digits at halftime.

The Dubs went on a 38-11 run in the third quarter, outscoring the Clippers by 26 in the period (42-16). Jordan Poole scored 22 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter, shooting 5-for-9 from the field, 4-for-8 from three and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. After jumping out to a 21-point lead, Clippers Head Coach Ty Lue waived the white flag, subbing in his reserves with 7:28 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Warriors extended their winning streak to four games while also extending the Clippers losing streak to four games. The Dubs remain in fifth place in the Western Conference standings, breaking a tie in the standings with the Clippers.

Golden State Warriors Highlights vs. LA Clippers

Team Leaders
GSW
PointsReboundsAssists
Poole - 34DiVincenzo - 11D. Green - 9
Kuminga - 19Thompson - 11Thompson - 4
Thompson - 19D. Green - 9Jerome/Poole - 3
LAC
PointsReboundsAssists
Leonard - 21Plumlee - 20Westbrook - 6
Gordon - 16Leonard - 7George - 5
Plumlee - 123-Tied - 5Mann - 3

Thompson Keeps Dubs Afloat
Klay Thompson scored 16 points in the first half, including 11 in the first quarter. The rest of the Warriors' starting five combined to score just 18 points over the first two quarters. Thompson also grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds and finished second on the team in assists with four. He recorded his first double-double of the season and the fifth of his career.

“Yeah, I think coach challenged him earlier on today, just to be more aggressive on the defensive end in terms of getting more rebounds coming into crash,” Jordan Poole said when speaking on Klay Thompson rounding out his game. “In the last, I think, three, or four games he's been tremendous at coming back, getting rebounds getting a ball pushing and getting us out in transition but we obviously know what Klay brings to the table of each and every night, and he did a really good job of getting us going early and keeping us in the game."

"I think he had 12 points in the first quarter. This allowed him to be himself, get him some good looks letting him be aggressive. He's dangerous and he hit a really big shot to I think tie the game 66-all or something like that in the third quarter. We know what he’s capable of and we need him if we want to keep winning games like this.”

Thompson Ties the Game

Poole Party in the Third
Jordan Poole (22 PTS) scored 20 or more points in a quarter for the second time in his career. His 22 points were the most he's scored in a quarter since Jan. 16, when he scored 23 points in the second quarter against the Wizards. Poole (34 PTS) eclipsed 30 points for the 11th time this season. This was also his 11th game with five or more 3-pointers.

“We’re on a roll," Poole said, pleased with the team’s performance. "We have some momentum going. You just have to bring all the energy that you can get the crowd involved. Especially against a really good team like that. You need every competitive advantage you can get. Guys were locked in, we had a tremendous game plan and we just got a really big win tonight. “

Highlights: Jordan Poole Goes Off For 34 Points in Win Over Clippers - 3/2/23

From Cold to Hot
The Warriors shot just 16-for-48 (33.3%) from the field in the first half. However, after shooting 3-for-22 (13.6%) from three in the first half, the Dubs shot 11-for-24 (45.8%) from downtown the rest of the way. In the second half, they also shot 23-for-45 (51.1%) from the field.

Postgame Warriors Talks
  • article-image: Postgame Warriors Talk: Jordan Poole - 3/2/23

    Postgame Warriors Talk: Jordan Poole - 3/2/23

    Jordan Poole addresses the media after his 34-point performance in the Warriors' 115-91 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.

  • article-image: Postgame Warriors Talk: Klay Thompson - 3/2/23

    Postgame Warriors Talk: Klay Thompson - 3/2/23

    Klay Thompson addresses the media after the Warriors' 115-91 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.

  • article-image: Postgame Warriors Talk: Draymond Green - 3/2/23

    Postgame Warriors Talk: Draymond Green - 3/2/23

    Draymond Green addresses the media after the Warriors' 115-91 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.

  • article-image: Postgame Warriors Talk: Steve Kerr - 3/2/23

    Postgame Warriors Talk: Steve Kerr - 3/2/23

    Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr addresses the media after the Warriors' 115-91 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.

Ice Cold Clips
The Clippers struggled mightily all game offensively. They shot just 32-for-89 (36.0%) from the field and 9-for-43 (20.9%) from 3-point range. In addition, Russell Westbrook went 0-for-8 on jump shots, Paul George went 1-for-8 on threes (3-15 overall), and Eric Gordon shot 2-for-10 from 3-point range. The Clippers rank sixth in the league in 3-point percentage (37.8%) but were clamped up by a stifling Warriors defense.

“I think it is a great sign," Draymond Green said when evaluating the Dubs’ defensive execution. "I still think that we can get better. Overall, our guys were locked in on the game plan. I think that it helped a lot. You go out in the paint and try to make them take tough ones. In saying that, it wasn’t just sagging off of Russ (Russell Westbrook), everyone was locked in on their coverage. If there was a top-lock with Paul George, Donte (DiVincenzo) was in the top lock. Klay (Thompson) was all over Kawhi (Leonard). JK (Jonathan Kuminga) came in and he was all over both when he guarded each of those guys."

"It was a total team effort. Guys being in the gaps and I thought we did a pretty good job rebounding with the exception of that one possession when we gave up like three offensive rebounds. I think that we put it all together, but overall, I thought we executed the game plan, and it was good for us.”

Kuminga Blocks Westbrook

Impactful Frontcourt Play
Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga were both a plus-19 in 29 minutes. Green nearly recorded a triple-double (11 PTS, 9 REB, 9 AST), while Kuminga scored 17 points, grabbed seven rebounds and hit 3-of-4 3-pointers. Kevon Looney also had 11 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes of action. 

“Draymond, as a center fielder, is, I think, best in the league,” Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said when analyzing Draymond Green as a roamer and help defender. “I mean, nobody can kind of muck up the lane like he can and just read what's happening, help everywhere needs to help, and then come in and rebound.”

Jonathan Kuminga Throws it Down

Up Next
The Dubs are 4-0 on the homestand and play their fifth and final game against the 10th-place New Orleans Pelicans on Friday (7 p.m.; NBCSBA).

MORE NOTABLES:

  • The Warriors have won five-straight home games and nine of their last 10 games played at Chase Center, improving to 26-7 at home on the season… Golden State won the team’s fourth consecutive game overall.
  • Golden State is 4-0 on the team’s current homestand and is holding its opponent to 100.3 points per game over that span on 40.1% shooting from the field and 30.2% from three.
  • The Warriors have won 19 of their last 23 home games vs. the Clippers, including the last five consecutively… Golden State owns a 2-1 lead in its season series vs. the Clippers… They play for the fourth and final time on March 15 in LA.
  • The Warriors held the Clippers to an opponent-season low 91 points (prev. 95, 11/14 vs. SAS)… Golden State improved to 24-3 when holding its opponent under 115 points… They also held the Clippers to an opponent-season low 16 third-quarter points (prev. 17, 2/28 vs. POR)… Tonight marked the second time this season the Warriors held an opponent under 100 points (2-0 in those games).  
  • Golden State trailed the Clippers by 12 points and went on to win, marking the team’s ninth double-figure comeback of the season (all at home)… The Warriors are the first team in the Shot Clock Era to trail by double-figures at halftime and go onto to win by 15-or-more points in consecutive games (Elias Sports Bureau).
  • This was the Warriors third consecutive game in which they rallied from a double-digit deficit to win and their ninth such comeback win this season… According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since 1997-98 when play-by-play was first tracked, this is just the second time the Warriors won three games in a row after trailing by as many as 10 points (1/31/15 -- 2/4/15).
  • Tonight was the first game of the Warriors’ 14th set of back-to-backs (NBA-high-tying 15 this season) with the set concluding tomorrow night vs. New Orleans… The Warriors improved to 5-9 in the first game of back-to-backs this season.
  • For the second straight game the Warriors scored at least 70 points in the second half (70 tonight, 75 on 2/28 vs. POR)… In the second half of the last two games, the Warriors are outscoring their opponent, 145-75… The Warriors scored 42 points in the third quarter, their 15th 40-point quarter of the season… Golden State improved to 11-3 this season when recording a 40-point quarter… It was the fourth time this season the Warriors scored at least 40 points in the third quarter… In the last two games, the Warriors are outscoring their opponent in the third quarter, 81-33 (42-16 tonight, 39-17 on 2/28 vs. POR).
  • The Warriors recorded 60 rebounds, their second-highest tally of the season (69, 1/2 vs. ATL in 2OT).
  • Tonight marked the Warriors’ 463rd consecutive sellout (regular season and playoffs), the longest sellout streak in franchise history.
  • Donte DiVincenzo grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds (prev. 10, 12/16 at PHI)… He also blocked a season-high two shots (prev. one, six times).
  • Jordan Poole scored a game-high 34 points, 22 coming in the third quarter, the most points scored in that quarter in his career (prev. 19, 3/16/22 vs. BOS) and the second-most for any quarter, trailing his 23 points in the second quarter on 1/16/23 at WAS… It was Poole’s 11th 30-point game of the season.
  • Klay Thompson recorded his first double-double of the season with 19 points and a career-high 11 rebounds (prev. 10, four times)… All of his rebounds came on the defensive end, setting a new career high (prev. nine, four times).
  • Kevon Looney recorded 11 points, eight rebounds and one assist… Looney has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games (10.4 ppg in that span)… He played in his 174th consecutive regular season game (second-longest active streak).
  • Draymond Green recorded 11 points, nine rebounds and nine assists… Green has scored in double figures in three of the last four games he’s played in, 21 times this season.
  • Jonathan Kuminga led all reserves with 19 points, his 22nd outing of double-figure scoring this season… He made three 3-point baskets (on four attempts), one shy of his career-high of four made threes (done four times).