The Golden State Warriors have snapped their three-game losing streak with a 121-115 win over the Orlando Magic at Chase Center on Tuesday night.
In a back-and-forth contest for much of the game, it was Warrior superstar Stephen Curry who ensured his and the team’s struggles would come to an end against the vibrant and talented Magic squad.
Curry had 10 points in the final period, including a layup and step-back three on consecutive possessions to extend the Golden State lead from two to seven in the final five minutes.
After the Warriors took a six-point lead to the last quarter, the Magic began on a 12-5 run to retake the advantage and increase the anxiety for a tense home crowd. Yet despite a pair of careless turnovers, Curry still managed to steady the hosts with his 36 points coming on 12-of-20 shooting and 4-of-9 from three-point range.
The two-time MVP also added six assists and four steals, though he was far from a one-man show in the six-point victory. Seven players scored in double figures, including all five of the new starting lineup that was debuted against the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend.
Jonathan Kuminga may have been the player of the game if not for Curry, with the third-year forward doing a bit of everything in a strong all-around display. The 21-year-old had 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while also recording six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Kuminga’s improved playmaking was a shining light again, particularly in the third-quarter where he fed Curry and Klay Thompson on multiple occasions.
Speaking of Thompson, the under-fire veteran had a bounce back of his own with an efficient 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. However, it was the 33-year-old’s defense that was most impressive, with Thompson the primary defender on young Magic star Paolo Banchero. The five-time All-Star denied Banchero’s post-up attempts regularly as the former number one overall pick shot just 8-of-20 from the field.
In his second-career start, Trayce Jackson-Davis had 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while fellow rookie Brandin Podziemski and forward Andrew Wiggins also contributed 10 points off the bench.
For all Golden State’s good work, they were nearly undone by an uncharacteristically bad night at the free-throw line. They got their 37 times but shot less than 65%, with Curry even missing three in what threatened to be a major element of regret.
The Warriors will count the cost of the win after Gary Payton II limped off the floor in the third-quarter. The defensive menace was diagnosed with a hamstring strain in just his second-game back from a torn calf that saw him miss 13-straight games.
The win pushes the Warriors back towards .500 with a 16-17 record, but their task won’t get any easier when they host the NBA champion Denver Nuggets in their next meeting on Thursday night.
