Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry of the Warriors team overcame sluggish beginnings to lead the Warriors to a crucial 140-131 NBA win against the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
After suffering two lopsided defeats to conclude a disappointing 2-5 stretch at home, the Warriors faced another rough start against the Chicago Bulls. They were behind 75-62 at halftime but managed to turn things around in the third quarter, scoring 48 points. Klay Thompson had a standout performance, scoring 17 points in the period, including five three-pointers, marking his highest-scoring quarter of the season.
The Warriors entered the fourth quarter with a 15-point lead, but the Bulls, who celebrated their 1995-96 championship team before the game, narrowed the gap to four with less than three minutes remaining. However, the Warriors ultimately pulled away again. Klay Thompson finished with 30 points and six assists, while Curry contributed 27 points despite struggling with his shooting, making only eight of 24 field goal attempts. Curry also tallied nine assists, and Jonathan Kuminga added 24 points off the bench. The Warriors, who committed just five turnovers, managed to withstand a 39-point performance from DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls.
In San Antonio, the rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Spurs dominated the Charlotte Hornets with a 135-99 victory. Wembanyama, a French talent, made an impressive impact in less than 20 minutes on the court, making nine of 14 shots, including two alley-oop dunks and a one-handed jam at the beginning of the second half. The Spurs spoiled the return of Hornets star LaMelo Ball, who had 28 points, five assists, and five steals in his first game back after a 20-game injury absence since November.
Houston guard Fred VanVleet scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half, helping the Rockets narrowly defeat the Pistons 112-110 in Detroit. The Pistons lost their seventh consecutive game after breaking their 28-game losing streak. Despite leading by as much as 11 in the third quarter and holding a 107-102 lead after Jalen Duren’s dunk with 3:53 remaining, the Pistons couldn’t maintain their advantage. VanVleet countered with a three-point play, a three-pointer, and a pull-up basket, securing the victory for the Rockets.
In another game, Nikola Jokic, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, achieved his 12th triple-double of the season by scoring 27 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 14 assists. His performance led the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, to a 125-113 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
In Philadelphia, Tobias Harris scored 37 points and Tyrese Maxey contributed 21 to lead the undermanned 76ers to a 112-93 victory over the Sacramento Kings. The Sixers, who had suffered three consecutive losses, including two without their star player Joel Embiid due to a left knee injury, were able to secure the win. De’Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 21 points, but the 76ers capitalized on 17 Kings turnovers, converting them into 29 points, and maintained the lead after the initial minutes of the game.
The Indiana Pacers, playing without Tyrese Haliburton, their key player, managed to secure a 126-108 win against the Hawks in Atlanta despite being short-handed. Buddy Hield and Obi Toppin both contributed 18 points coming off the bench for the Pacers, who have won nine of their last 10 games.
Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert came back from missing one game due to injury and scored 24 points while also securing 17 rebounds in the Timberwolves’ 116-93 win against the Portland Trail Blazers at home. Minnesota is currently leading the Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Clippers continued their winning streak by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 128-119 in Memphis. Paul George scored a season-high 37 points, while Kawhi Leonard contributed 22 points. The Clippers have now won eight of their last nine games.
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