With the Dallas Mavericks visiting the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, it’s both a jolly and nostalgic day for Dub nation after Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay area since being traded last summer. However, the return of the beloved other half of the Splash Brothers was met with an intense battle between Golden State and Dallas.
A Tribute to One of the Greatest Shooters of All Time
The two splash bros. playing against each other is a weird sight for Warriors fans, especially Klay now wearing a different jersey.
But, after setting foot once again inside the Chase Center, fans, employees, friends, and former teammates gathered to pay a special tribute to one of the best to ever wear a Warriors uniform. Thompson, who was drafted in 2011, played for Golden State for 13 years and was an integral part of the Warriors dynasty.
Warm Welcome: Steph Curry Makes Historic Night and Then Spoils Klay’s Homecoming
Curry just couldn’t contain his hunger to win. In their first In-season tournament matchup this season, Curry made sure to keep the home win. Dallas was outstanding on offense, but Golden State showed how capable they are on the defensive end.
The battle was pretty close, but at the start of the fourth quarter, Kyrie Irving locked in on scoring. However, the tight defense of the Warriors proved to be too much, even for Kyrie. Top that impenetrable protection with Curry making a 10-0 run on his own, GSW eventually sealed the deal in thrilling fashion, 120-117.
Curry pulled off another 30-piece, scoring a game-high and season-high 37 points on top of 9 assists and 6 rebounds. The 36-year-old superstar just became the oldest point guard to record back-to-back 30-point games. He also joins LeBron James and Michael Jordan as the only guys who were 36 and older to record back-to-back 35-point outings.
Meanwhile, Draymond Green sets the tone for the Warriors. The former Defensive Player of the Year was doing everything on the court. He ended the game with 11 points, 6 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks, and accruing zero turnovers. De’Anthony Melton is also closing in on that starting spot after going for 14 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds.
As for the Mavs, Luka Doncic was playing like an MVP after recording 31 points, 6 assists, and 8 rebounds, though he was 2-for-10 from behind the arc. Kyrie Irving chipped in with 21 points and 6 assists while Klay fired for 22 points, including 6 triples.
The Warriors improve their standing to 9-2 and are tied with the Suns and Thunder with the best record in the West.
