OAKLAND – The Warriors opened their five-game road trip with a 108-94 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, improving to an NBA-best 18-3 road record. And they did it without two-time MVP and two-time NBA champion Steph Curry, who was sidelined because of a sprained right ankle. Here’s how it all went down.
KEY MOMENT
Golden State outscored the Bucks in the fourth quarter, 28-12, behind the Warriors’ swarming defense, which held the Bucks to 5-of-20 shooting from the field during the period. The Bucks had the advantage in the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors 33-17 to take an 82-80 lead into the fourth. But the defending NBA champions made sure they wouldn’t lose back-to-back games for the first time this season.
STOCK UP
Kevin Durant — He had a game-high 26 points on 12-for-20 shooting, six rebounds and six assists. He had key consecutive baskets late in the game to turn a four-point lead, 94-90, into a nine-point advantage, 99-90, after making a fadeaway jumper with 2 minutes and 49 seconds left, followed by a three-pointer with 2 minutes and 19 seconds left.
KD doing work tonight! (@nbcsauthentic, ESPN) pic.twitter.com/m9SUM7ZXUJ
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 13, 2018
Draymond Green — He had another near triple-double performance, finishing with 21 points on eight-for-17 shooting, along with team-highs in rebounds (10) and assists (seven). Green made up for his less-than-stellar performance against the Clippers, in which he had just seven points on one-for-nine shooting.
Draymond Green doin’ work in tonight’s win 💪 #NBAVote pic.twitter.com/tP0oMlLrXa
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 13, 2018
STOCK DOWN
Klay Thompson — After resting Wednesday against the Clippers, it was assumed that a fresh-legged Thompson would have a great shooting night. Instead he had 12 points on four-for-11 shooting, far less than his season average of 20.7 points on 48.3 percent shooting. Luckily for the Warriors, even with Curry out and Thompson not as his best, they were deep enough to pull off the win.
Steph Curry — Is it fair he’s in this category? No. Is it his fault? No. Did he even step foot on the court? No. But that being said, the Warriors have been without the face of their team for 13 games since he initially sustained a sprained right ankle in a game against New Orleans on Dec. 4. After missing 11 games, Curry returned against Memphis on Dec. 30, but then he re-aggravated his right ankle during shootaround Wednesday, and has been sidelined the last two games against the Clippers and the Bucks. Bummer for Curry. Even bigger bummer for the Warriors.
Gonna be a good 4th quarter, #DubNation 👀 pic.twitter.com/PTDRrGuIMw
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 13, 2018
NUMBERS OF NOTE
2: That’s the number of times the Warriors have had Curry and Durant on the court together since Dec. 6. Friday was not one of those times.
0: That’s the number of three-pointers Thompson made, breaking his streak of 95 straight games with at least one made three-pointer. It the third-longest streak of all-time
4: That’s the number of Bucks players who scored in double-figures, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Malcolm Brogdon, Eric Bledsoe and Tony Snell. The Bucks put forth a good effort against the reigning NBA champions, but it just wasn’t enough.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
Thompson was clearly really upset when told that his three-point streak had come to an end. Said Thompson: “I didn’t know. Oh well. Who cares.”
REPLAY OF THE GAME
In the second quarter, Durant and Antetokounmpo went one-on-one. It didn’t go well for Antetokounmpo.
KD got Giannis. pic.twitter.com/cyfx0WQ1kw
— ESPN (@espn) January 13, 2018
UP NEXT
The Warriors now travel to Toronto to play the Raptors in the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday.
