SAN FRANCISCO — Like the person matchup between Draymond Inexperienced and Karl-Anthony Cities, the Warriors and Knicks locked their horns.
Neither group led by double digits all evening, the ultimate three quarters had been rock fights and the officers permitted every group to play bruising protection.
Though Cities (29 factors, 12 rebounds) received his battle towards Inexperienced, the Saginaw native polished off the 97-94 victory with a “Night-Night” celebration.. Golden State (39-28) held the Knicks to a few factors within the final 2:52 earlier than rubbish time, shutting down Cities and anybody else with tenacious vitality.
The win offers head coach Steve Kerr 558 common season victories, making him the only real franchise report holder. The Warriors are actually 14-1 with Jimmy Butler within the lineup and have overwhelmed the Knicks twice up to now two weeks.
Earlier this month, Inexperienced unfold an faulty rumor that Cities missed their recreation towards the Warriors as a result of he was ducking Butler, his former teammate. In actuality, Cities was attending the funeral of a household buddy who died of breast most cancers.
Given a possibility to apologize, Inexperienced mentioned he was sorry for Cities’ loss, but additionally plugged his podcast twice.
That drama set the stage for Saturday evening.
Cities went proper at Inexperienced early. On the Knicks’ first possession, he pump-faked Inexperienced out of his sneakers and soared in for a dunk. Within the first 5 minutes, Cities collected six factors, 5 rebounds and two assists whereas being guarded by Inexperienced. Then he added a step-back 3 over Jonathan Kuminga and a euro-step previous Buddy Hield for good measure.
As Cities cooked, Kuminga made a robust two-way impression off the bench. In his second recreation again from his extreme ankle sprain, Kuminga performed beneath management, pushed the tempo and crammed up the stat sheet.
Butler banked in a operating halfcourt shot to place the Warriors on prime, 32-31, after the primary quarter.
Inexperienced compelled a Cities turnover in an isolation scenario on the wing, batting the ball out of the middle’s arms. Then they bought tousled on the opposite finish, with Cities getting whistled for his third foul. Inexperienced pointed towards New York’s bench afterward, signaling for Cities to go sit (which he did).
New York’s protection improved with out Cities (and Jalen Brunson, who missed the sport with a sprained ankle). The Knicks held Golden State scoreless for 3 minutes, a stretch that included three turnovers.
With Cities’ foul bother, Mikal Bridges, Miles McBride and OG Anunoby stepped up. However defensive havoc from Inexperienced generated factors in transition.
Cities opened the second half by splashing in his second 3-pointer and the Knicks retook the lead shortly thereafter. After Cities completed a left-handed drive previous Inexperienced, the Warriors briefly switched Butler onto the middle. That didn’t work. Then Cities scored within the submit towards Inexperienced.
As Cities cooked, Curry heated up. He sank a pair of 3s and scored 12 of the Warriors’ 21 third-quarter factors, serving to protect Golden State’s slim lead.
Cities scored 9 straight factors as a part of an 11-4 Knicks run to attract New York inside two. Because the Warriors bought 3-happy, Cities feasted inside.
Cities missed a 3-pointer with two minutes left that may’ve put New York forward and Inexperienced stonewalled McBride on the rim for a block earlier than developing with a strip on Cities, drawing an offensive foul within the course of.
To place the Knicks away, Inexperienced drove previous Cities and completed on the rim. For the second time this 12 months, he borrowed Curry’s “Night-Night” celebration. He bought the final snigger, and when Cities in the end fouled out, the Chase Middle followers waved him goodbye.
