WASHINGTON — Jordan Poole played Robin to Stephen Curry’s Batman Monday afternoon in the Warriors’ 127-118 win over the Washington Wizards.
Curry and Poole combined for 73 of the Warriors’ points, including 13 3s, and Draymond Green contributed 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds to help Golden State bounce back from an embarrassing loss 24 hours earlier in Chicago and earn its fifth road win of the season.
Curry, playing in his fourth game back from a partially dislocated left shoulder, took over the fourth quarter to lead the Warriors to the finish line. He knocked down a step-back 3 with about two minutes remaining in the game to give the Warriors’ a six-point advantage after Golden State trailed by eight early in the final frame. Then, Poole drained a 3 of his own to make it a nine-point advantage.
The Wizards started to crumble under the pressure, with the home crowd strongly favoring the vistors. Fans were loudly cheering for Curry’s every move. A chorus of “M-V-P” chants erupted for Curry as he stepped up to the foul line with 28 seconds left.
Curry finished with a game-high 41 points on 12 of 28 shooting. Poole scored 26 points in the first half, including 23 in the second quarter alone, before finishing with 32 on 12 of 20 shooting. He also made seven of his 13 attempts from deep. Four other Warriors finished with double-figure scoring on a night when Klay Thompson was out of the lineup due to injury management.
Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis scored a team-high 32 points for the Wizards.
The Warriors trailed by eight early in the fourth quarter, but they clawed their way back. Back-to-back Curry baskets gave Golden State the 110-106 edge with 5:07 remaining in the game. But the Wizards, playing without Bradley Beal, wouldn’t go away so easily. They kept within striking distance before the Warriors pulled away in the final minute.
The Wizards came out aggressive and clogged the paint, forcing the Warriors to rely on their 3-point shooting. But Golden State found ways to score inside in the subsequent three quarters.
The Warriors did a better job taking care of the ball and not sending the Wizards to the free throw line. After giving up 31 points off 23 turnovers, Golden State tallied only 12 turnovers, which resulted in 11 points.
The Warriors, who are 22-22 on the season and 4-17 on the road, will have two days off before starting their next back-to-back, which features stops in Boston Thursday and Cleveland Friday. Golden State will spend Tuesday afternoon at the White House, where the team will be honored for its 2022 NBA title and meet President Joe Biden.
