SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors endured fairly the distinctive path Saturday evening to open a season-long, seven-game homestand with a 115-110 win over the Detroit Pistons.
It’s not each evening {that a} fireplace alarm – a false alarm – delays the beginning of a second quarter and orders Chase Heart’s soldout crowd of 18,064 to evacuate, which roughly 20 % of the followers have been doing earlier than the all-clear sign was given.
And it’s not each evening that Steph Curry is honored for a milestone — is it? — however he grew to become the NBA’s twenty sixth participant to cross the 25,000-point threshold throughout Saturday’s third quarter.
The gang broke into an “MVP” chant as Curry knocked down 4 free throws within the remaining seconds for the Warriors’ remaining factors, capping his 32-point homecoming and carrying over his momentum from a 4-1 street journey.
Each groups entered with 35-28 data, so it shouldn’t have been too stunning {that a} tight, back-and-forth affair performed out on this stage.
“It was physical. It was testy. A lot of pushing and shoving,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned. “To win a game like that, when clearly we were tired and trying to get our legs underneath us coming off that trip, it was a big-time win.”
It was their eleventh win in 13 video games since Jimmy Butler’s Feb. 8 arrival, by way of a commerce that Kerr once more recommended common supervisor Mike Dunleavy Jr. for making.
Saturday’s consequence was doubtful all through, as a lot as the house crowd hoped that Curry’s step-back 3-pointer with 3:25 remaining would put the Warriors within the lead for good. It didn’t, but it surely was a optimistic signal for Curry who, as much as then, had made simply 4-of-15 3-point makes an attempt but owned 25 factors.
It wasn’t till 35 seconds remaining when the Warriors secured an insurmountable lead: Butler dished the ball to Draymond Inexperienced, who hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining for a 110-108 lead. Inexperienced made 1-of-2 free throws with 24 seconds left for a 111-108 cushion, then Cunningham dribbled previous Inexperienced for a dunk with 17 seconds to go for a 111-110 sport.
Butler made his personal clutch bucket with 1:22 remaining, hitting a 12-foot, pull-up jumper to place the Warriors again in entrance. That gave him 26 factors for his most but in a Warriors’ uniform, surpassing his 25 in his Feb. 8 debut in opposition to Chicago in addition to Thursday’s win at Brooklyn.
“This is part of the Jimmy dynamic. He is built for these kinds of games,” Kerr mentioned. “He’ll get us a shot, he’ll get to the line, and he’ll take big shots. Playoff Jimmy is a real thing, and in some ways that felt like a playoff game with the physicality.
“It was kind of a rock fight, frankly,” Kerr added. “Guys like Jimmy thrive in games like this.”
The Warriors opened the night with a 9-0 lead, however they led simply 22-20 after the primary quarter, which is when the fireplace alarm went off and solid curious seems on everybody contained in the 6-year-old, bayfront residence.
“Somebody told us just to stay put. It’s the first time I’ve ever been a part of anything like that in my NBA career,” Kerr mentioned. “It was a bizarre few minutes. Thankfully it was a false alarm.”
Gamers on each groups remained on the court docket and loitered round their respective benches, with the Warriors forward 22-20 after the primary quarter. A message on the videoboards learn (in all caps): “Attention: There has been a fire alarm reported in the building. Proceed to the nearest exit and leave the building. Do not use elevators.” As the sport resumed, Chase Heart’s public-address system and music went silent for about quarter-hour.
The Pistons and the Warriors then traded the lead all through the second quarter (and the third and the fourth). Curry was scoreless for eight minutes after the false alarm; he had seven factors within the first quarter to hold some momentum over from his sensational street present, which opened with a 56-point outburst in Orlando 9 days earlier.
Curry was simply 1-of-6 on 3-point makes an attempt earlier than halftime, and his teammates weren’t a lot better from there (4-of-20 total). Curry completed 4-of-15 from 3-point vary, 8-of-22 on all field-goal makes an attempt, and 12-of-12 on free throws in opposition to the bodily minded Pistons.
“Tonight was not a great shooting night for him, but I love how he played through fatigue and a physical night,” Kerr mentioned. “That’s the mark of a great player.”
The Warriors received outscored 32-12 within the paint within the first half, however that balanced out afterward to the tune of 24-24.
Butler opened the third-quarter scoring with a game-tying 3-pointer – his first of the evening and solely his fourth in 12 video games with the Warriors. He hit one other 3-pointer within the quarter’s closing minute
Coach Steve Kerr’s dream state of affairs for this homestead: “Same things we just saw on road: two-way basketball, winning the possession battle, taking care of the ball, snagging some offensive rebounds just and being solid. … Jimmy has changed our team because he just makes the simple play over and over and over again. Our other guys need to follow suit.”
NOTES
Jonathan Kuminga’s return from a right-ankle sprain “should be soon and we’re excited to get him back,” mentioned Kerr, noting that the younger ahead had simply seemed good in a scrimmage as was feeling optimistic. … Trayce Jackson-Davis checked into the sport late within the first quarter, after Kevon Looney drew his third foul. Jackson-Davis had fallen out of the Warriors’ rotation and is predicted to play Sunday at Chase Heart for the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors in opposition to the Mexico Metropolis Capitanes (12:30 p.m.). “Tomorrow is about getting rhythm,” Kerr mentioned. “We’re here at Chase so he’ll get a really good run. … I would wager almost anything in these last 19 games, he’ll find his way into the rotation at some point and he’s just got to steady ready for that.” … Guard Brandin Podziemski (lower-back soreness) was dominated out after a pregame exercise.
Initially Printed: March 8, 2025 at 8:28 PM PST
