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Spurs beat Thunder 117-102 for 3rd win over defending NBA champs in 2 weeks

San Antonio Spurs v Oklahoma City Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - DECEMBER 25: De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on December, 25, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points, and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-102 on Thursday for their third win over the defending NBA champs in the past two weeks.

The Spurs also defeated the Thunder in an NBA Cup semifinal on Dec. 13 and in San Antonio on Tuesday. The teams meet again on Jan. 13 in Oklahoma City.

Victor Wembanyama had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Stephon Castle had 19 points and seven assists for the Spurs (23-7). San Antonio shot 53.6% from the field and held the Thunder to 38.9% shooting.

It was San Antonio’s eighth straight win and Oklahoma City’s second home loss of the season. The Thunder entered the day at the top of the Western Conference standings, with the Spurs in second.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points, but the reigning league MVP made just 7 of 19 field goals. He scored at least 20 points for the 102nd consecutive game.

Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 12 rebounds and Chet Holmgren added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City started the season 24-1, tied for the league’s best record through 25 games. The Thunder are 2-4 since, including the three losses to the Spurs.

The Thunder made their first seven field goals and went up 18-12 before Fox helped the Spurs fight back. His 21 points in the first half helped San Antonio head into the break with a 69-60 lead.

The Spurs pushed the lead to 85-68 midway through the third quarter, and a dunk by Dylan Harper late in the third quarter put the Spurs up 91-74. The Spurs led 95-79 at the end of the period and maintained control from there.

Up next

Spurs: Host the Utah Jazz on Saturday.

Thunder: Host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

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Knicks' Tyler Kolek impresses in win over Cavaliers, shows how he can 'change the game'

With the Knicks down 17 points early in the fourth quarter on Thursday afternoon against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it looked like fans were going to leave the Garden without a Christmas Day win.

That was until New York mounted their largest comeback of the season, finding a way to beat the Cavs, 126-124, and deliver the best present of the day.

Leading the comeback as per usual was Jalen Brunson, who finished with a team-high 34 points in the win, but he didn't do it alone. Jordan Clarkson scored a season-high 25 points off the bench, making five three-pointers, Mitchell Robinson grabbed what felt like every offensive rebound (eight of his 13 boards), and Tyler Kolek scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to help pull off the victory.

When asked about his mindset coming off the bench and how he can make a difference, Kolek shared something that a former teammate taught him last season.

"Change the game," Kolek said. "That's what I always say. Cam Payne actually taught me that last year whenever we won a game. You got to change the game, you got to do something different to make the game flow differently."

Kolek did exactly that in the fourth quarter, making three clutch three-pointers and getting a block on Donovan Mitchell to swing the momentum New York's way. The play was initially called a foul, but the second-year guard was confident he blocked it and the call was eventually overturned.

"We always talk about next play speed," Kolek said. "I saw him running, and honestly if he ran and just did a regular layup, I wouldn't have caught up to him. But he wanted to do some windmill s--t. He slowed down, he was trying to do something crazy."

After the block, Kolek assisted Mikal Bridges to put the Knicks up 118-117 with 1:29 left in the game. Darius Garland put Cleveland back up briefly before Brunson scored to give New York the lead for good.

Kolek was rewarded for his stellar play by getting his name chanted by the MSG crowd, saying he's "grateful" for the moments like that.

"It's fun, man," Kolek said. "Playing at The Garden on Christmas, it doesn't get much better than that. I'm grateful for the fans that come out and support us every night."

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Brunson and the reserves lead Christmas comeback as Knicks beat Cavaliers 126-124

Jalen Brunson scored 34 points, reserve Jordan Clarkson had 25 and the New York Knicks came from 17 down in the fourth quarter to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-124 on Thursday and win on Christmas Day for the third straight year.

Reserves Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson sparked the comeback after the Cavaliers led 103-86 early in the final period. Kolek had 16 points and nine assists, and had fans chanting his name after a late block on Donovan Mitchell that originally was called a foul but was overturned on review. Robinson hustled after offensive rebounds to keep possessions alive and finished with 13 boards.

Brunson made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining, after he, Kolek and Clarkson all hit from behind the arc in a 13-2 run that cut Cleveland’s 12-point lead to 111-110.

Mitchell had 34 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Darius Garland added 20 points and 10 assists, but the Cavaliers blew their chance at a third straight win.

Evan Mobley finished with 14 points and nine rebounds after missing five games with a strained left calf.

The Cavs raced to an 18-3 lead behind 10 points from Mitchell and led 38-23 after one quarter. But Clarkson opened the second with consecutive 3-pointers, and after a Cavs 3-pointer, the Knicks ripped off an 18-0 burst to take a 47-41 lead.

The Knicks made 12 of their first 14 shots in the second, before Mobley had Cleveland’s final four baskets as New York took a 60-58 edge into the break.

Cleveland quickly regained control in the third. Mitchell slammed down a lob pass that Garland threw from beyond halfcourt to cap a 10-3 burst to open the period, and Mitchell later hit a 3-pointer to cap an 18-4 spurt that turned a 71-all tie into an 89-75 advantage for the Cavs.

Up next

Cavaliers: Visit Houston on Saturday.

Knicks: Visit Atlanta on Saturday.

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Mike Sullivan Praises Alexis Lafrenière After Scoring His 100th NHL Goal

 Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

In the New York Rangers’ 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night, Alexis Lafrenière achieved an important milestone. 

Lafrenière scored the 100th goal of his NHL career, and he spoke about the impressive feat after the game.

“I knew I was at 99, so it's good to get it," Lafrenière said. “It's a good feeling.”

Mike Sullivan was impressed with what he saw out of Lafrenière on Tuesday night and feels he’s added a new element to his game by providing net-front presence at a more consistent level. 

“I thought Laf had a strong game,” Sullivan said. “He's such a talented player as we all know. It's been a struggle for him most recently to score. I thought he had a number of really good looks tonight. He was hanging onto pucks. He was also getting inside the dots and going to the net a little bit more. 

Scott Morrow Continues To Roll With The Punches Through Highs And Lows Of His DevelopmentScott Morrow Continues To Roll With The Punches Through Highs And Lows Of His DevelopmentScott Morrow’s time with the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> has been a rollercoaster ride this season, but there’s one aspect about his character that you can’t take away.&nbsp;

“I think that's got to be a more consistent element of his game. I think he's create more offense if he does. He's very capable. He's strong and he's got good stick skills...There needs to be another dimension to their offense and Laf's offense and that's something that we've had a lot of discussions with Laf about.”

The 24-year-old forward has recorded eight goals, 12 assists, and 20 points in 39 games, while averaging 17:23 minutes.

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Knicks complete largest comeback of season, beat Cavaliers on Christmas Day, 126-124

The Knicks trailed by 17 points with about 10 minutes left in the game and found a way to complete their biggest comeback of the season, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day, 126-124.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Karl-Anthony Towns picked up two fouls within the first three minutes of the game, forcing head coach Mike Brown to call timeout with the team down 5-0. Mitchell Robinson came in for Towns and then OG Anunoby, back after missing Tuesday's loss, got New York on the board with an and-one layup. In the blink of an eye, the Cavs built an 18-3 lead as Donovan Mitchell made four of his first five shots while the Knicks as a whole missed 14 of their first 16 shots.

Jalen Brunson nailed a wing three and completed the four-point play to wake the team up. Jordan Clarkson and Mohamed Diawara helped out, both hitting three-pointers to cut the Cleveland lead down to six points. Brunson stayed in a groove and scored with under 30 seconds left on a scoop layup, but De'Andre Hunter hit a three of his own with the clock winding down to give the Cavs a 38-23 lead at the end of the first quarter.

-- Cleveland shot a ridiculous 68 percent from the field and 55 percent from three (6-for-11) in the first quarter, while New York struggled at just 38 percent from the field and 25 percent from deep (3-for-12). 

-- Clarkson opened the second quarter with two quick three-pointers, getting the Garden crowd on their feet and forcing a Cavs timeout. The Knicks rode the momentum and went on a 15-3 run to cut the Cleveland lead down to three points, 41-38. Mikal Bridges hit back-to-back jumpers to give New York their first lead of the game and Towns kept it going, extending their 18-0 run to make it a 47-41 game midway through the second quarter.

-- Evan Mobley, playing in his first game since Dec. 12, began to find his footing and scored eight straight points for the Cavs to keep it a close game. Brunson connected on another four-point play and then Josh Hart's three-pointer with 32.8 seconds left put the Knicks up 60-58 heading into halftime. 

New York outscored Cleveland, 37-20, in the second quarter thanks to making seven three-pointers. Brunson and Clarkson each scored 14 points in the first half.

-- The Cavs came out of the locker room hot, going on a 10-3 run capped off by Darius Garland delivering a gift-wrapped pass to Mitchell from halfcourt for the alley-oop jam. Hart tied the game at 71-71 with a three-pointer, but the Cavs went on another run as Jaylon Tyson scored six straight points to make it an 86-73 game with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter. Tyson kept it going with a three-pointer and a dunk to give him 11 points in the quarter.

Cleveland nearly duplicated their first quarter, outscoring New York 38-24 and building a 96-84 lead going into the fourth.

-- The game looked to be getting out of hand for the Knicks, down 103-86, but the team somehow flipped it around after Hart left with an ankle injury (down 107-95). Clarkson, Tyler Kolek, and Brunson all caught fire as the captain tied it up at 113-113 with a three-pointer. 

Brunson made another clutch three to put New York up two points and then Towns charged in to score on a tip-in to make it a 123-119 game. Mitchell rocked the rim with a huge dunk, but Anunoby came right back with his own to push the lead to back to four points. Mitchell hit a crazy three-pointer to keep Cleveland alive before Towns iced the game with a free throw.

-- New York outscored Cleveland 42-28 in the fourth quarter. Brunson finished with a team-high 34 points and made six threes, while Clarkson dropped 25 points off the bench with five three-pointers. Robinson had another monster performance on the glass, grabbing 13 rebounds off the bench, including eight offensive boards. Mitchell led the Cavs with 34 points of his own and Garland chipped in 20 points and 10 assists.

Game MVP: Tyler Kolek

Kolek was a burst of energy in the fourth quarter after Hart rolled his ankle. The guard scored 11 points with three three-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 16 points, nine assists, three rebounds, and a block. He was a plus-24 off the bench.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks will travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 8:00 p.m.

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Knicks' Josh Hart exits Christmas game vs. Cavaliers with ankle injury

Knicks wing Josh Hart suffered an ankle injury midway through the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday and left for the locker room.

Hart was driving down the lane in transition and stepped on an opposing player's foot going for a layup, appearing to roll his ankle.

Despite being in clear pain, he stayed in to shoot two free throws and made both. 

Hart then limped to the locker room and was subbed out for Tyler Kolek.

New York trailed 107-95 with 7:43 remaining in the game.

This is a developing story and will be updated...

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Warriors exhibit quick recovery from Draymond-Steve Kerr spat in Christmas win

Warriors exhibit quick recovery from Draymond-Steve Kerr spat in Christmas win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – It’s natural after any earthquake to anticipate aftershocks, which is why it was fair to wonder how the Warriors would function after the tremor created by Draymond Green and coach Steve Kerr on Monday.

The Warriors, to a man, expressed zero concerns about any lingering effect. And if Thursday’s performance is any indication, their projection is reality.

Their 126-116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks was generated for the most part by a 71-point first half featuring classic Golden State offense, as drawn up by Kerr. The Warriors shared the ball like newlyweds sharing wedding cake at a reception, and, moreover, seemed to enjoy seeing everybody eat.

Nobody more than Jimmy Butler III, Stephen Curry, Green and Kerr.

“We’ve always been a ball movement team,” Kerr said after a season-high-tying third straight victory. “Steph off the ball is so powerful, and Jimmy loves to pass; Jimmy would prefer to get an assist than a basket. We saw tonight, nine assists and 14 points. He loves that kind of game. Draymond is such good passer.”

The Warriors recorded 33 assists, their highest total in seven weeks, one off their season high, and a sharp contrast to the 21 they averaged over the previous three games and the 22.5 they averaged over the previous 10. Six Warriors recorded at least three assists. Eleven Warriors played, and all 11 scored.

Most impressive, perhaps, is that Golden State gave the Mavericks a grand total of . . . drum roll . . . six points off turnovers.

Kerr and Butler have been saying for weeks that such cohesion is possible with this roster. And there it was, on full display on Christmas Day.

“It was clicking tonight,” Butler said. “We were moving the ball at an incredible pace, finding guys. Sometimes it may look a little bit too unselfish, because we [will pass up] layups, myself included, but we all love to see everybody else shine, so it’s a good problem.”

There were some deficiencies, the most obvious being Golden State’s 28-percent shooting from distance and its defense being ravaged for 72 points in the paint while Dallas shot 55.1 percent from the field.

But the Warriors more than offset that with teamwork and effort. There was plenty of dapping and back-slapping, first quarter to fourth. There was Green bouncing off the bench, each knee wrapped in about 15 pounds of ice bags, to coach up teammates during stoppages.

To the naked eye, Golden State’s esprit de corps channeled a very quick recovery from the heated squabble between Kerr and Green.

The Warriors often struggle early in games, but not on this day. With Al Horford returning after a nine-game absence to ring up 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting from deep, they put up 40 points in the first quarter, taking a 12-point lead into the second. Golden State maintained a lead until the final buzzer.

Green didn’t particularly stand out, playing 28 minutes, finishing with seven points, five rebounds, three assists and two turnovers. His presence, however, was felt by his teammates and by Kerr. There was not the slightest hint of animosity.

“They’re in a better place,” Curry said. “But I was [at the podium Monday] talking about it, how they’re really professional and how they handled it. And that’s how they handled it, and how we handled it as a team.

“Stuff like that happens. They have the equity of years and years of relationship that has had its moments as professionals as you are, you come back and you approach the next day with a fresh start, and they handled yesterday and practice well. We responded well as a team.”

The next test will come on the road, as the Warriors leave Friday for a three-game swing through the Eastern Conference, beginning Sunday at the Toronto Raptors. Can they push their streak to a season high? Will Kerr and Green simply resume the relationship they’ve always had?

“That’s just part of the game,” Butler said, recalling the spat. “When you’ve been together for so long, y’all gonna have arguments. It ain’t gonna be quiet all the time. It’s OK. You’ve got two fierce competitors that have won it together and that want to continually win. We know what it is. And if you were looking at me, I’m just looking up, like, all right. I expect that to happen. That’s okay. We move on from it.”

That’s how it looked on Christmas. But eyes hungry for spectacle will be following the Warriors as they proceed.

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Steph Curry still fueled by climb after hitting ‘special' 26K-point milestone

Steph Curry still fueled by climb after hitting ‘special' 26K-point milestone originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry surpassed another impressive round number in the Warriors’ 126-116 Christmas Day win over the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center.

With the 12th point of his team-high 23 on Thursday, Curry reached 26,000 career points, making him just the 22nd NBA player ever to reach that threshold.

Curry, who has made it clear he sees everything, told reporters after the win that he wasn’t aware that he was close to the milestone.

“No, I didn’t know going into it, which is great because those things take care of themselves,” Curry said. “The more you play, the more opportunity you get out there. And it is a special milestone for sure, just, 22 guys in the history of the league.

“You look up and you know there are some other active players still doing it, still climbing the ladder and I’m happy to be a part of that chase to see how far I can get up there.”

After Thursday’s performance, Curry sits at 26,013 career points. Sacramento Kings wing DeMar DeRozan is close behind Curry and should reach the 26,000-point club in the next four or five games.

Next on the NBA’s all-time points list is Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, who sits at 26,071, which means Curry should pass him sometime next week.

The active players ahead of Curry are Kings guard Russell Westbrook (26,638 points), Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (28,388) and Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (31,201 entering Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers).

Whenever Curry reaches 27,000 career points, he will be the 14th or 15th player to get there, depending on whether Westbrook beats him there.

Only 11 players have scored at least 28,000 points and only eight have gotten to 30,000 points.

No one, not even Curry, knows how much time he has left. But he’s still playing at an elite level, so 4,000 more points isn’t out of the question.

But wherever Curry finishes, he has cemented himself as one of the NBA’s all-time greatest scorers.

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Five Things On The Kings' Christmas Wishlist For A Merry Season Finish

The Los Angeles Kings don't need a miracle this Christmas to save their season. They don't even need a splashy trade, a headline-grabbing signing, or even a reinvention in their front office. What they really need is progress in the areas that have been holding them back all season long. 

As the season rolls into the holiday stretch, the Kings find themselves playing mediocre hockey, especially in December, going 3-8 in the 11 games they've played this month, and have just one home win nearly two and a half weeks ago against Chicago.  

If Santa's listening, here's a realistic Kings Christmas wishlist. 

A Power Play That Stops Holding Them Back

The Kings don't need elite power play if that's asking too much from them; they just need one that doesn't feel like a momentum killer every time they step on the ice and play. 

For long stretches of this season, LA's five-on-five play has been good enough to compete with anyone in the league. The issue has been turning advantages into separation, and that's not more apparent with man advantage, where the Kings have been terrible at. 

Too often, the Kings' predictable entries and struggles to convert on the power play, which drains the energy inside the building, say everything you need to know about how bad it's been. They have scored only four power-play goals in their last 10 games. 

In the postseason and in late-game situations, that flaw is exposed by teams that can use it against the Kings and beat them whenever they want. Special teams swing close games, and Los Angeles has lived on the wrong side of that for so many stretches this year. 

A functional power play that can score when it matters most would change the outlook of the Kings' season and get them back in Stanley Cup contention. 

Quinton Byfield's Breakout Becoming Permanent

Quinton Byfield's development has been a real treat for Kings fans. The numbers have gotten better every single season, and the eye test says he can break out into an even better player, which is scary. 

After playing just six games in his rookie campaign, Byfield began a new role. By the 2022-23 season, he posted 22 points in 53 games, elevating his playmaking skills. Then came the big leap. In 2023-24, Byfield played all 80 games and delivered 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) with a plus - 19 rating, while averaging 16 minutes of ice time. 

The numbers nearly doubled in those two seasons. And last season, he followed it up with another consistent season, scoring 54 points in 81 games, raising his average time on ice to 18 minutes, and taking on more challenging assignments as his star level rose. 

This season, his role has expanded even further. His ice time has climbed north of 20 minutes per game, a clear signal of trust from the coaching staff. The next step for Byfield could be simply to continue this streak of consistency for years to come and become one of the league's premier young talents. 

But despite Byfield getting more playing time, his numbers are a little down this season, and he has struggled over the last 20 games. Byfield has scored just two goals in the previous 20 games for the Kings and has four goals total in 35 games. 

Regardless of Byfield struggling this season, if he plays well consistently for several seasons, the future could be bright for Los Angeles. 

Anze Kopitar Staying a Little Longer

Every franchise and die-hard fan reaches the moment when they have to imagine themselves without their cornerstones, the players they've watched play for their team for as long as they can remember.

Anze Kopitar remains the heart and soul of this team. His numbers may not show it on the statsheet as they did a few years ago. Still, his impact remains big everywhere else, including leadership, mentoring players, defensive responsibility, and faceoffs. 

Kopitar has already come out and said this will be his last season playing hockey after 20 years of battles in the league, so it's unlikely he will change his mind on that decision. The only way his decision will change is if Kopitar wants to win more Stanley Cups and believes this Kings team has a legit chance, but Kopitar's legacy will remain the same whether he wins or retires. 

If Kopitar has another season left in him, it would be huge, but everyone knows that it's time to hang it up for Kopitar, who will go down as one of the greatest players ever and maybe the best King of all time.

Finally Getting Past the First Round

The Kings have had some bad luck in the last few years when they've made the postseason. Matching up against the Edmonton Oilers hasn't been good for them; they've lost four consecutive playoff series to the same team over the past four years.

Last year was the breaking point: finally having home-ice advantage against their rival and holding a 2-0 series lead, but they collapsed, losing four straight games and going home in six.

It comes down to matchups in the postseason in sports, and the Oilers are the one team Los Angeles can't seem to beat, whether they have home ice or not. It will undoubtedly be tough to accomplish this season because of the struggles the Kings have had this year compared to last year, and because of the teams ahead of them, including Dallas, Vegas, Edmonton, Colorado, etc. 

But getting past the first round will finally dispel the psychological effect the Oilers have had on the Kings over the last four postseasons. Winning a playoff series changes how a team carries itself, especially for the year the Kings are having. This would be a massive success for them. 

Success At Home 

Crypto.com Arena shoould feel uncomfortable for visitng teams, but this season, it hasn't. 

Sitting at 4-8-4 at home this year after being the best team at home last year is a big disappointment. Not just that, but the Kings might actually be the worst team at home, scoring the fewest goals (32) in the league and posting the worst pp percentage (10.7%). 

A winning home record will bring energy back into the stadium and reestablish the Kings' identity. Home games should give teams a significant advantage over visiting teams and boost their energy, but none have happened for Los Angeles. 

A Realistic Christmas Wish

None of these wishes is unrealistic. It's entirely possible, and it could happen if the Kings get it together. 

Los Angeles needs to be better where it matters most, not something it's not. If even a few of these items are checked off by the season's end, success in Los Angeles might come with something fans haven't felt in a while. 

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Steph Curry shares how playing Klay Thompson puts NBA journey into perspective

Steph Curry shares how playing Klay Thompson puts NBA journey into perspective originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Christmas Day wasn’t Klay Thompson’s first time playing at Chase Center as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, but each time the Warriors legend returns is a special occasion for Dub Nation and his former teammates.

That admiration was on display during a moment in warmups, hours before Golden State’s eventual 126-116 win Thursday, when the ex-Warriors guard and Steph Curry met up for a pregame handshake — an interaction that elicited cheers from the Bay Area crowd.

The moment wasn’t lost on Curry, who won four NBA championships with his fellow Splash Bro over the course of 13 years before Thompson departed for the Mavericks in a sign-and-trade following the 2023-24 season.

“Yeah, [Warriors fans] don’t miss a thing for sure, especially the Splash Bros out there,” Curry told reporters after the game. “Very sentimental moment, I’m sure, any time we’re in the same space, Draymond [Green] included, so that was cool, for sure.”

The reunion came just one day after Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted Golden State is a “fading dynasty.” Both Curry and Thompson were key to those golden days, but facing each other on different teams at ages 37 and 35, respectively, certainly puts things into perspective for the Warriors point guard.

But Curry knows both he and Thompson still are capable of accomplishing more, no matter how quickly Father Time is ticking.

“It will never be normal, you know, seeing [Thompson] somewhere else, but it’s also — we’re all trying to deal with the here and now,” Curry said. “And we’re such competitors that no matter what position you’re in or situation you’re in with your teams, you still feel like you can win and you have a lot to accomplish. So, it’s a great reminder of the journey, but you don’t really put too much extra emphasis on it.

“That time will come down the road.”

There’s no saying for sure when Curry or Thompson will hang up their sneakers. But the memories they’ve made together — and the memories Dub Nation has made watching them play with and now against each other — certainly will live on forever.

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Steve Kerr misses Klay Thompson, wishes Splash Brother still was on the Warriors

Steve Kerr misses Klay Thompson, wishes Splash Brother still was on the Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors’ core, which won four NBA championships in eight seasons, is family.

Which made Klay Thompson’s discontent and subsequent departure two years ago all that much harder.

But more than a full season removed from Thompson leaving the Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks, the bitterness seems to have dissipated and given way to nostalgia.

Following the Warriors’ 126-116 Christmas Day win over the Mavericks, coach Steve Kerr was asked if he has gotten used to seeing Thompson on the other side, as an opponent.

“No,” Kerr told reporters at Chase Center. “I’ll never get used to seeing Klay on the other side. I miss Klay. Wish he was still here.”

Kerr’s comments echo what Steph Curry told ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon in the lead-up to Thursday’s game between the Warriors and Mavericks.

“I wish he was still here,” Curry told Slater and MacMahon.

As much as Kerr and Curry miss Thompson, that page has been turned, at least for the moment.

Thompson has one more guaranteed year left on his three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks. But the team he joined before last season is completely different, and his role has changed as well. He’s no longer a starter, having been relegated to the bench unit.

Thompson picked the Mavericks over the Los Angeles Lakers because he wanted to play with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. But Doncic was traded to the Lakers for Anthony Davis and Irving is recovering from a torn ACL.

Two years removed from the NBA Finals, the Mavericks, who are building around No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, are a borderline Western Conference play-in team this season.

That could open the door for the Mavericks to move Thompson to a contender before the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline.

The Warriors believe they have the pieces to contend in the West, but they have yet to consistently show it. Thursday’s win pushes their record to 16-15.

So a return to the Warriors might not be the move Thompson is looking for, if he wants out of Dallas at all.

But Curry and Thompson didn’t shut the door on it when talking to Slater and MacMahon.

“I don’t know,” Thompson told Slater and MacMahon when asked if playing one final season with the Warriors was possible. “That’s a long ways away, man. That’s a lot of basketball to be had. I don’t know what the future holds.”

“It would be unbelievable,” Curry told Slater and MacMahon of a possible reunion. “If that time comes and that conversation is had, of course I’m calling him and saying, ‘We want you back.’ And hopefully that would be a welcome message to him. But as we stand right now, that does seem like a far distant reality. But so did him leaving.”

Curry and Kerr have publicly stated they miss Thompson in the Bay. That doesn’t mean the four-time NBA champion will come back someday.

But it at least plants the seed.

In today’s NBA, anything is possible.

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What we learned as Steph Curry, Warriors outlast Klay, Mavs in Christmas Day win

What we learned as Steph Curry, Warriors outlast Klay, Mavs in Christmas Day win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Cheer and joy had no place for drama and coal when it came to the Warriors on Christmas this year.

Though the game wasn’t stylistically a thing of beauty, the Warriors outlasted the Dallas Mavericks 126-116 on Thursday for their third straight win, giving Golden State (16-15) its second three-game win streak of the season.

Steph Curry never got going, yet still led the Warriors with 23 points. Nobody else on the Warriors reached 20 points, but six others scored in double figures.

No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg scored a game-high 27 points in his first career contest against the Warriors. Franchise legend Klay Thompson struggled shooting and scored a lowly seven points off the bench for the Mavs. Thompson went 3 of 8 from the field and made one of his four 3-pointers in 26 minutes. 

The Warriors shot an ugly 28 percent from 3-point range themselves but still had a 30-point advantage on threes over the Mavs. 

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ third straight win.

Draymond’s Christmas Response

Promises were made in the aftermath of Monday’s incident that the argument between Draymond Green and coach Steve Kerr during a third-quarter timeout would not linger. The two apologized to each other, as well as the team, and turned the page.

Kerr also made it clear that the past has shown he expected the best version of Green in the next game, which just so happened to fall on Christmas in front of a national audience. 

The response by Green and his Golden State teammates had them walking the walk after talking the talk. Nobody seemed fazed by a frustrating scene a few days prior, including Green. He played spectacular defense on Anthony Davis before the often-injured big man’s day ended early. 

Davis, in just under 11 minutes, scored just three points and was 1 of 4 from the field. 

As for Green, he gave the Warriors seven points, five rebounds, three assists and two turnovers, and was a team-low minus-9. He went to the bench at the 8:46 mark of the fourth quarter with five fouls and returned for the final four minutes and 37 seconds. The Warriors outscored the Mavs by four points down the stretch with him back on the court.

Focus and composure weren’t a problem for Green after two straight games of letting his emotions take over in the worst ways.

Good Enough Group Effort

It was one year ago when the Warriors wasted Curry’s Christmas heroics of 38 points and eight 3-pointers in a heartbreaking last-second loss against the Los Angeles Lakers. Curry this year was much closer to how he typically fares on Christmas. 

The holiday hasn’t always been kind to Curry. Coming into Curry’s 12th Christmas game, he has only averaged 17.6 points on 35.1 percent shooting with a 28.0 3-point percentage. Curry couldn’t find his 3-point shot (2 of 10), opting instead to convert a few layups and made all nine of his free throws.

Jimmy Butler didn’t go on a scoring spree and still was what Curry and the Warriors needed. Doing it all, Butler just missed a triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Butler was a plus-14.

Warriors reserves scored 64 points, 10 more than the Mavs’ bench, and featured four players who ended with 10 or more points. Every bench player had a positive plus/minus, led by De’Anthony Melton’s 16 points as a plus-19. Those around Curry picked him up, and there still will be corrections to be made from film.

You Can Call Him Al

Truth be told, everybody reaches an age where their body needs a break. Al Horford, at 39 years old, is firmly entrenched in that club. Between a sciatic nerve irritation issue and missing a few days for an excused personal reason, Horford hadn’t played in the Warriors’ last seven games over a three-week stretch going into Thursday. 

That long of a break apparently is exactly what Horford needed to deliver the kind of player the Warriors always expected after signing the five-time All-Star center. The Warriors struggled shooting the ball to begin the game, missing their first six 3-point attempts. Then Horford got off the bench for the first time since Dec. 4 and brought the goods. 

Horford, in the final three minutes and 43 seconds of the first quarter, let it fly from deep four times, connecting on all four. The Warriors went from leading by two points before his first shot attempt to owning a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter, in which Horford scored 12 points on a perfect 4 of 4 beyond the arc. 

The 19-year NBA veteran also made history in the first quarter alone. Horford became the first player ever to make four 3-pointers in a Christmas game at 39 or older. In 11 minutes off the bench, Horford was a plus-9 with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting while adding four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

A Christmas miracle or just one game? Horford looked spry and resembled what the Warriors would love to see as often as possible the rest of the season.

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