Curry's 41 points, Poole's 32 help lead Warriors past Wizards on MLK Day
WASHINGTON — Steph Curry scored 41 points and Jordan Poole added 32 points to help the wobbling Golden State Warriors to a 127-118 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday.
Golden State had lost four of five coming into the game.
Draymond Green had 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
Kristaps Porzingis led Washington with 32 points. Kyle Kuzma added 16 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, but struggled from the field, where he was only 5 for 20.
The Warriors trailed 106-105 when Curry made a fallaway 3-pointer against a double team. He made another basket, assisted on the next, and hit a 3-pointer to put the Warriors in front, 115-111 with 3:58 to play. Curry made another stepback 3-pointer with 2:01 to play and Poole hit one with 1:29 to play to vault Golden State in front 123-114.
The Wizards reached their biggest lead of the night 89-80, following a Deni Avdija layup with 4:33 to play in the third quarter. But the Warriors quickly closed back to within two points at 93-91 on a Curry 3-pointer, then tied the game on an Anthony Lamb layup. Neither team maintained a lead for more than a spurt through the first three quarters, which had 12 ties, 12 lead changes, and finished tied, 93-93.
Three players dominated the first half. Poole scored 26 points on 10 for 13 shooting, Curry added 21, and Porzingis scored 25 points, his most for a game in January, in the first two quarters. Only Porzingis reached double figures for the Wizards in the first half.
Washington led by six at one point, Golden State by seven, before the first half ended with the Warriors ahead, 69-64.
COACHES FLATTERED TO PLAY ON MLK DAY
Both coaches were reverent when asked pregame about playing on the Martin Luther King holiday.
"Think about a guy, 35 years old, it really puts things in perspective from where I sit," said 47-year-old Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. "His ability to command a movement, to change things socially, around the world, not just in this country. Those things take time. Still a work in progress.
"But dramatically different than it was one generation ago. Things that I take for granted, my parents couldn't do. Not only because it wasn't safe to do, it wasn't legal. To put that in perspective is really mind-blowing."
Steve Kerr said he is always excited to see "American history" right in front of him during visits to the nation's capital. This trip included playing on Martin Luther King Day and visiting the White House in succession.
TIP-INS
Warriors: SG Klay Thompson (Right Achilles tendon injury management) sat out the second game of a back-to-back Monday. … The defending champions will visit the White House on Tuesday.
Wizards: SG Bradley Beal (left hamstring) missed his fifth consecutive game. Unseld said Beal still needs more "exposure" to contact before returning. … Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King, his wife, and Yolanda Renee King, Dr King's granddaughter, were honored at midcourt after the first quarter. They received Wizards and Warriors jerseys in addition to a standing ovation.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Visit Boston on Thursday night.
Wizards: At New York on Wednesday night.