LOS ANGELES – Klay Thompson put on quite the show in front of family and friends Monday night at Staples Center, but it was at least partially obscured by two viral events completely unrelated to the outcome.
There was drama in the form of heated words between coach Steve Kerr and one of Thompson’s teammates, Jordan Bell, in a timeout huddle.
That came not long after one of the most frightening sights imaginable for Warriors fans, Stephen Curry losing his footing and sliding gracelessly across the floor.
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The Warriors swatted away the Lakers, 130-111, in a game that not nearly as competitive as the score indicates.
Here are some of the positives and negatives culled from the eighth consecutive win for the Warriors:
POSITIVE
Klay goes nuclear
Golden State Warriors
It happens several times each season. Thompson gets into a rhythm and starts throwing in one shot after another, as if he were playing Pop-A-Shot – except he’s launching from 23 feet and beyond. He scored 44 points in 27 minutes. He made 17 of 20 shots, draining his first 10 3-pointers, finally missing on his 11th attempt. He single-handedly buried the Lakers with his 23-point third quarter, extending the Warriors’ lead from 10 to 30.
The Warriors are 13-0 all-time when Thompson scores 40 or more. How hot was he? The team’s other four starters, all All-Stars, combined for 44 points. They took 38 shots.
POSITIVE
Keep it moving
The coaching staff has a nice round number that indicates the team’s passing proficiency: 30 assists. The Warriors reached that number with 6:06 left in the third quarter. They had 35 after three and finished with a season-high 41, also the highest total by any NBA team this season. The most inspiring dime came courtesy of DeMarcus Cousins, who went diving after a loose ball, recovering it and flipping it to Thompson, who drilled a triple.
These are the kind of numbers that, along with only 12 turnovers, bring a smile to Kerr’s face.
NEGATIVE
The kerfuffle With a little more than five minutes remaining, Kerr wanted a timeout. He was not smiling. He had a few words for Bell, perhaps because 44 seconds after entering the game, the second-year center fired up a 19-foot jumper seven seconds into the shot clock. Kerr was much more demonstrative than usual, and Bell seemed to making a pointed effort to explain himself. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry tried to mollify Bell while, after the game, general manager Bob Myers took a moment to soothe the coach.
The Warriors don’t seem to think there will be lingering aftereffects, but it was a bad look, all the way around.
NEGATIVE
Steph takes a spill
Curry got the steal and saw nothing but open space and the hoop. This would be his one-man fast break. His creativity was about to be unleashed.
“I was going to try something really nice that I haven’t tried before,” Curry said. “But the Lord wouldn’t let me do it.”
Curry planted his left foot to go airborne and, whoa, landed on his backside, skidding about five feet across the floor, bam, landed on his backside. He recovered quickly enough to launch a 3-pointer. Air ball.
Welcome to “Shagtin’ A Fool,” Steph.
POSITIVE
Steph seemingly avoids injury
Curry was in a good mood about the entire unfortunate episode. There was nothing to indicate he sustained the slightest injury. He might wake up with some soreness on Tuesday, but he’ll always have the memory.
Curry and the Warriors, by all appearances, got lucky because this could have been a lot worse.