Since Draymond Green returned from his second suspension of the season, Golden State Warriors has begun looking like its balanced, ball-sharing self again.
Stephen Curry is thriving as usual, Andrew Wiggins is working back into dominant form after a slow start, and Jonathan Kuminga is emerging as an electrifying playmaker.
Curry scored 37 points with eight 3-pointers, Kuminga added 26 points, and the Warriors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-107 on Tuesday night as guard Klay Thompson sat out with an illness.
“It’s fun,” Green said, “I think it’s starting to come together for us now. We’ve just got to string some wins together.”
Curry, who also had eight rebounds and seven assists, shot 12 for 17 in his third straight 30-point game. It was his third consecutive game with six or more 3s and his sixth in a row with at least 25 points.
He hit two straight 3s midway through the third as Golden State went ahead 69-57 and finished with 15 points in the period.
Wiggins added 23 points, five rebounds and four assists. Coach Steve Kerr credits Green for lifting up Kuminga and Wiggins — “telling us to keep going, no matter what,” Kuminga said.
“Draymond really changed things with his return because he connects those guys at both ends of the floor, just with his communication defensively and the way he helps get us organized offensively,” Kerr said. “Great to see Wiggs and JK both playing so well and playing well together. It’s fun, you can see the team we’re shifting a little bit with how we’re playing and who we’re playing.”
Tobias Harris had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Joel Embiid scored 14 points for the Sixers before limping to the locker room with 4:04 left to a standing ovation after Kuminga fell on his left leg. Coach Nick Nurse said the center would have an MRI exam Wednesday.
It was an important win for the Warriors to end their homestand following two straight one-point losses against 2023 playoff opponents — 145-144 to the Lakers in double overtime on Saturday night after a 134-133 loss to Sacramento on Thursday.
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The 76ers dropped their fourth straight following a six-game winning streak. They hoped to have Tyrese Maxey return for the second night of a back-to-back but he sat out his third straight game with a sprained left ankle.
Wiggins made his first five shots and scored in double figures for the sixth time in seven games as Golden State won for just the third time in nine games. Kuminga extended his career-best streak of games with 20 or more points to seven. He has reached double figures in 24 consecutive games, also his most.
Green encourages Kuminga by telling him, “There is nobody in the world who can stop you.”
Brandin Podziemski replaced Thompson — the Warriors’ 16th different starting lineup this season — and scored 11 on the day he was named to the All-Star Weekend Rising Stars roster. He drew his 20th charge, second-most in the league.
Dario Saric dished out seven of Golden State’s 32 assists and Draymond Green had six to go with nine points and six rebounds.
Warriors guard Moses Moody is likely to return from injury during the upcoming road trip. He has been cleared to practice after straining his left calf Jan. 10. Chris Paul can begin light on-court individual workouts wearing a splint on his surgically repaired left hand that he injured Jan. 5. The Warriors said he would be re-evaluated again in two weeks.
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