Warriors road trip redux: Inside observations from 3-0 Eastern swing

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The Warriors went East and had a legendary weekend. Kevin Durant scored 41 points at Madison Square Garden. KD and Steph Curry combined for 69 points in Brooklyn, two days after dropping 70 together. Klay Thompson came out of his slump with a NBA-record 14 threes in Chicago.

So, let’s look back at an epic 3-0 road trip that brought the Warriors’ season record to 7-1 …

Arrive in New York on Thursday. How do fans find out where the team is staying?

On Friday, the bus traveled through Times Square to reach the Garden. Center of the universe!

We passed the sign that Knicks fans put up to recruit KD to the Garden next season.

KD heard about the sign and said, “No disrespect, but I’m not really impressed with that type of stuff.” I’m also not sure a recruiting pitch that plays on the President’s slogan “Make America Great Again” is the right way to approach KD.

KD said he likes playing at the Garden, and it’s “pure love for the game” inside this building. He called it a “playground with walls” and said the energy can feel like Rucker Park.

Ashanti (or, as one Warriors staffer called her, “my wife”) sang the national anthem, and then it was game time. The Knicks and the Warriors were tied at half, and New York led by three at the end of the third quarter, but KD poured in 25 points in the fourth and finished with 41 in Golden State’s win.

Speaking of the national anthem ... after the game, the Warriors enjoyed a remix of Fergie’s awkward NBA All-Star Game rendition to stick up for Draymond Green smiling as she sang it.

Fans lined the street when the Warriors' bus left the Garden.

In between the games against the Knicks and the Nets, the veterans got Saturday off. After covering practice for the young guys, I went to Brooklyn for pizza with my husband. This is our favorite -- the Hellboy at Paulie Gees, which I mentioned in the Ask Kerith mailbag two weeks ago. Mozzarella, tomatoes, soppressata piccante, parmigiano reggiano and Mike’s Hot Honey.

Sunday, it was back to work in Brooklyn.

Steph scored 35 against the Nets, and KD finished with 34. Draymond had 13 assists. Klay had 18 points, but he was 1-5 on threes. That brought Klay’s 3-point total to five to start the season -- his slump was continuing.

We flew to Chicago after the Nets game. Steph was watching the World Series on the plane, and when the Red Sox won the title, he raced to the back of the plane to celebrate with Tim Roye, the other Boston fan on the flight.

Monday morning in Chicago ...

It's Alfonzo McKinnie’s hometown, and he was excited to play in front of about 50 friends and family members. His day was great before he even stepped on the United Center court to rack up a career-high 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Press row in Chicago is by the Warriors’ bench on the baseline, and I was sitting by Connor Letourneau and Anthony Slater. When Klay hit his first 3-pointer of the game, Anthony asked, “Klay game?”

Michael Ravina of Warriors PR was sitting to my left, and he kept us updated on Klay’s record, NBA scoring records and the Warriors' team record for threes. Everything was moving quickly as Klay lit up the scoreboard.

Klay finished with 52 points, the NBA-record 14 threes and two stitches under that Band-Aid.

Klay held the game ball in his hands postgame and told me he believes his record could be quickly broken -- maybe by Steph, the guy who held the record before him.

The Warriors have five games at home until the next road trip. They don't leave California again until they fly to Houston on Nov. 14.

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