What we learned as Dubs escape with close win over Hornets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Warriors, two nights after taking down the Memphis Grizzlies, welcomed the nine-win Charlotte Hornets to Chase Center. Golden State once led by as many as 18 points, but had to fight like hell to pull off a 110-105 win Tuesday night on their home court.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Klay Thompson's strong start propelled him to a game-high 29 points to go with five rebounds and four assists. Jordan Poole was right behind him with 24 points, and Jonathan Kuminga was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field for 14 points off the bench.
That's two wins down on what figures to be a highly important eight-game homestand. The Warriors now are one game away from being .500 again, improving their record to 17-18, and 14-2 at home. Winning with two stars sidelined, no matter how hard they make it, will have long-term effects.
This was a win to remember, and one to learn from. Some sloppiness hurt them. Grit gave them a needed win.
Sports
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors holding off the Hornets.
Klay's Hot Start
The first night of a back-to-back should always hold a little bit of extra meaning for Thompson. As continues to sit the second night of the two games, there's no reason for him to hold anything back. This time, he caught fire early.
Steve Kerr played Thompson the entire first quarter, and he gave Golden State the jolt it needed. He scored 14 points while going 5 of 7 from the field and 4 of 6 on 3-pointers. By halftime, Thompson was up to 20 points in 19 minutes, with his last shot be straight from the circus.
In 39 minutes, Thompson went 10-for-22 from the field and 5-for-12 on 3-pointers while dropping 29 points. That's after a tough five-game stretch, too.
Coming into Tuesday night, Thompson shot 34.5 percent from the field and 29.3 percent on 3-point attempts in his previous five games. An efficient Klay usually means a win for the Warriors. Against the Hornets, he was much more efficient than that five-game stretch, and yes, that meant a win.
Attack, Attack, Attack
When it comes to the Warriors letting it fly from long distance, the first two quarters couldn't have yielded more opposite results. Behind Klay's four triples, the Warriors went 6-for-11 on 3-pointers in the first quarter. They again took 11 threes in the second, and missed all 11.
How did the Warriors respond in the third quarter? Well, they missed their first five attempts.
On a night where the Warriors weren't lighting it up from deep, they found success somewhere else. The Warriors owned the paint against the Hornets. Though they shot 8-for-37 (21.6 percent) on 3-pointers, the Warriors scored 56 points in the paint.
The Hornets scored 42.
Far too often, the Warriors can be too reliant on the three-ball. It's hard to change that strategy when they've had so much success in doing so. But things are a lot easier with Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins being part of that equation. This was a lesson in adaptation, one the Warriors need to take to heart.
Bench Brigade
For the second straight game, the Warriors' bench played a major role in another win. All five players scored, and all five had positive impacts in different ways.
Moses Moody was the last player off the bench, starting the second quarter. Once again, he took advantage of his opportunity, playing the first six minutes of the quarter and finishing a plus-4 in plus/minus with four points and three rebounds.
James Wiseman put together his third impressive showing in a row. First there was his 30-point game in a 30-point loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Then against the Grizzlies, Wiseman proved he can make an impact without scoring by being a plus-8 in eight minutes with no shot attempts but strong defense. This time, his 7-foot frame was a problem for the Hornets.
Wiseman played 10 minutes and was a plus-1 with eight points. Look at what he can do with his length.
Then there's Kuminga. Kerr trusted Kuminga down the stretch and he rewarded his coach, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter and coming away with a handful of big-time rebounds. His dunk with 21.8 seconds sealed the victory.
RELATED: Watch Steph's incredulous reaction to Klay's and-1
Now, the Warriors have a chance for just their second three-game win streak this season.
