SAN FRANCISCO – And on the 10th day, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson shot it like 2015.
The “Splash Brothers,” who reunited when Thompson returned on Jan. 9, combined for 39 points Tuesday night as the Warriors laid a 102-86 shellacking on the woefully deficient Detroit Pistons before a sellout crowd at Chase Center.
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Thompson finished with a team-high 21 points, while Curry totaled 18 points, eight assists and three steals. Andrew Wiggins scored 19 points in 28 minutes.
With the game mostly in hand, coach Steve Kerr played 12 different players, with only Kevon Looney (10 rebounds) and Chris Chiozza failing to score.
Here are three observations from a game the Warriors (32-12) hope will be the first in a succession of games that can snap them out of their recent skid:
Klay, Part V
Entering the game shooting 35.7 overall and the same from beyond the arc, Thompson in his fifth appearance this season and second at home delivered his sharpest performance yet.
After scoring five points in five first-quarter minutes, Thompson returned with 6:24 remaining in the half, receiving thunderous applause. He responded by scoring 12 points in six minutes, shooting 4-of-6 from the field, 2-of-4 from deep and draining a pair of free throws. His 3-ball to beat the halftime horn gave the Warriors a 66-38 lead.
He played 22 minutes, shooting 6-of-13 overall, and 3-of-8 beyond the arc.
He was fluid, rhythmic and more accurate than in any of his previous four games. He looked a lot like the Klay Thompson the Warriors and their fans were so familiar with before injuries sidelined him for 31 months.
Golden State Warriors
Kuminga stumbles a bit in third start
As Kerr continues to tinker with lineups, partly by design but also out of necessity, Jonathan Kuminga got his third start of the season – and first time opening a game with Curry and Thompson in the lineup.
Perhaps the teenage forward was a bit too excited about the opportunity, because he was more of a liability than an asset.
Kuminga committed two quick fouls, the first legit and the second too aggressive (shoving the screener). He was subbed out for Gary Payton II after only four minutes, but a theme was established. He committed a couple more needless fouls and never established any rhythm. The fouls took away his zest.
Playing 25 minutes, Kuminga finished with 12 points, on 4-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-4 beyond the arc. He also committed three turnovers, two of which came his dribble was swiped by one of the Pistons. The lone bright spot came in snagging a season/career-high 10 rebounds.
Put in position to shine, Kuminga offered one of his least impressive.
Eyesore of a second half
A dominating first half put the Warriors in position to dispatch one of the league’s worst teams. The second half, however, was more of a scattered mess than a focused scrimmage.
The Warriors led by as much as 34 in the first half, and by 28 at the half. As they meandered about the court, committing silly turnovers and pointless fouls, their 17-point third quarter, featuring an equal number of field goals (six) and turnovers, allowed Detroit to slice into the deficit.
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The Warriors scored 36 points in the second half, the exact number the Pistons had in the first.
Rather than finishing with a flourish, this appeared to be a clear case of a vastly superior team spending 24 minutes playing down to the level of its opponent. So bad are the Pistons that the Warriors got away with it.