When the opposing defenders focus too much attention on Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins lets loose and makes them pay, as he did on Wednesday when he scored a season-high 31 points, hitting back-to-back three-pointers during a key stretch midway through the third quarter, as the Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Clippers 124-107.
“Steph’s going to be Steph, always,” Wiggins said. “Tonight the ball was moving and found a lot of people, made some shots.”
Wiggins shot 12 for 18 and matched his most three-pointers this season with six in his third straight 20-point performance.
Photo: AP
“He’s shooting the lights out. He’s just been so consistent from the field and from the three-point line,” coach Steve Kerr said. “You see how comfortable he is in our offense, constantly slipping to the rim.”
Curry added 22 points, nine assists and six rebounds, while Thompson scored 18 points.
Thompson hit his first three shots and two three-pointers and four of his initial five shots on the way to 15 points in the opening quarter.
After a slow start this season finding his shooting groove, Thompson was coming off a season-best 41-point game against the Houston Rockets on Sunday in which he made 10 threes.
Marcus Morris Sr had 19 points to lead the Clippers, while Terance Mann added 17. Amir Coffey made his initial three field goals, but Los Angeles went just five for 13 from long range in the first half to fall behind 66-47 at the break as the Warriors shot 56.5 percent.
John Wall was limited to nine points on two for eight shooting and missed all three of his three-point tries.
Kerr said that he wants to use Draymond Green more regularly with the second unit when possible to give the reserves a reliable ballhandler and floor leader given their recent struggles.
“It looks good and we’ll continue to do it,” Kerr said of Green leading the second team.
Early in the fourth, Green drove the length of the floor and into the pain then dished off to Anthony Lamb for a layup that made it 103-82 with 10 minutes, 41 seconds to play.
Green finished with 12 assists, nine points and seven rebounds.
“It’s huge for the confidence of the guys,” Green said.
Golden State notched their fifth game in their past six with 30 or more assists, a statistic in which they lead the league.
The Warriors committed only five first-half turnovers and 13 overall as Kerr has stressed taking care of the ball.
In other games, it was:
‧ Bucks 113, Bulls 118
‧ Cavaliers 114, Trail Blazers 96
‧ Celtics 125, Mavericks 112
‧ Hawks 115, Kings 106
‧ Heat 113, Wizards 105
‧ Hornets 107, 76ers 101
‧ Jazz 116, Pistons 125
‧ Pacers 101, Timberwolves 115
‧ Raptors 98, Nets 112
‧ Spurs 110, Pelicans 129
‧ Thunder 126, Nuggets 131 (OT)
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