Steph Curry Stars with 38 Points as Warriors Rally Past Kawhi Leonard, Clippers

The Golden State Warriors rallied from a 22-point deficit to notch a 115-105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center on Friday. 

After falling to the Clippers at home by seven Wednesday, it was a strong bounce-back performance for a Golden State team that struggled to defend all night. Instead, guard Steph Curry went off for 38 points with nine three-pointers, a season high. 

The win moves the Warriors (5-4) over .500 for the second time this season, while Los Angeles falls to 6-4 and loses its grip on first place in the Pacific Division. 

Notable Performers

Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors: 38 points, 11 assists, 9-for-14 3PT 

James Wiseman, C, Golden State Warriors: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks

Kawhi Leonard, SF, Los Angeles Clippers: 24 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds

Paul George, SG, Los Angeles Clippers: 25 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds 

Steph Continues To Shine

The NBA has never quite figured out how to slow down Stephen Curry once he begins heating up. It's a problem that emerges in part because of how quickly the guard catches fire and in part because of how skilled a playmaker Curry has proven himself.

It's also a problem that emerged late in the third quarter Friday against a Clippers team that seemed to relax a bit after taking a 20-point lead. 

Every team should know by now that no lead is safe when Curry's shot is falling. That's why Los Angeles triple-teamed Curry early in the game.

It's also why Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn't take Curry off the floor for nearly 18 minutes of game time to begin the second half. He would finish playing 36 minutes total with each second on the floor vital to Golden State's chances. 

That brought Kerr to the Warriors' most glaring issue: No one else on the floor was reliable enough to keep the Warriors in the game. 

Kelly Oubre Jr. missed on all three of his attempts from behind the arc, Andrew Wiggins made just two shots from deep. and as much energy as Draymond Green brings, it still doesn't fully translate to the stat sheet. 

Friday night showed there's still nothing like when Curry goes off. It also showed there's little the Warriors can do on offense when he doesn't. 

Clippers Late Struggles Haunt Loss

The Clippers' inability to close out games last season became a harbinger of their epic Western Conference Semifinal collapse. That ended up costing head coach Doc Rivers his job. 

Now, Rivers' replacement, Tyronn Lue, has gotten a firsthand look at how that meltdown materialized. Friday's loss may not be on the coach, but it's a prime example of the problem he was brought in to fix. 

As soon as Los Angeles went up by 20 in the third quarter, the team noticeably relaxed. Once the game got tight in the fourth quarter, the body language displayed by the Clippers—and best exemplified by Kawhi Leonard—showed a team disinterested in fighting to regain its lead.

Late in regulation, Leonard was the last man back on defense when Green drove the lane, faked a pass and was immediately able to walk around Leonard for an uncontested layup. A few plays later with the Warriors up nine, Leonard turned the ball over to Green while tripping over himself. As the Clippers ran back on defense, Leonard remained on the floor for a few extra moments watching the play unfold as Curry hit his final three of the night.

Instead of being able to rest his star players in the fourth quarter, Lue needed George and Leonard to work their hardest late in the game only to watch them back down when the outcome was still in question.

It's not Lue's fault this time, but it will be soon if he can't get the team to close out blowouts like the title contender it's supposed to be. 

What's Next

The Clippers return home to Staples Center for a two-game homestand against the Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans beginning Sunday. Meanwhile, Golden State will remain home for two more contests as the Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers visit the Bay Area.