Steph Curry, Klay Thompson Guide Warriors to Blowout Win vs. Cade Cunningham, Pistons
January 19, 2022
The Golden State Warriors bounced back from Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 102-86 win over the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center on Tuesday.
Klay Thompson led the way with 21 points as Golden State improved to 32-12. It was Thompson's first 20-point game since 2019.
Andrew Wiggins added 19 points, and Stephen Curry had 18 points and eight assists. Golden State led by as many as 34 in the victory.
The Warriors are now 5-5 in their last 10 games after a torrid start to the season. Golden State overcame the absence of Draymond Green, who remains out with a calf injury.
The Pistons fell to 10-33 after their third loss in their last four games. Rodney McGruder led the team with 19 points off the bench. Hamidou Diallo had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Isaiah Stewart added 14 points with 11 rebounds. Rookie guard Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft, was held to eight points.
Notable Stats
G Klay Thompson, GSW: 21 points (22 minutes)
F Andrew Wiggins, GSW: 19 points
G Stephen Curry, GSW: 18 points, 8 assists
G Rodney McGruder, DET: 19 points (off bench)
G Hamidou Diallo, DET: 16 points, 13 rebounds
C Isaiah Stewart, DET: 14 points, 11 rebounds
G Cade Cunningham, DET: 8 points (3-of-10 FG)
Easy Matchup Comes at Right Time for Warriors
Sometimes, a team needs something to get its confidence back. In the Warriors' case, a home game against the 30th-ranked offense in the NBA after a tough road trip is exactly what they needed.
Golden State returned to form Tuesday with a dominant performance from start to finish. Even without Green, the Warriors had no issues shutting down the Detroit offense. The Warriors held the Pistons to 36.2 percent shooting in the first half and 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) from three-point range.
On offense, Golden State looked like the well-oiled machine we're used to seeing. The Warriors' ball movement was crisp with 20 assists on 24 made field goals in the first half.
Golden State Warriors @warriorslayups<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StephenCurry?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StephenCurry</a> || <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAAllStar</a> <br><br>📺 <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSAuthentic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSAuthentic</a> <a href="https://t.co/l7yyaPMAwn">pic.twitter.com/l7yyaPMAwn</a>
Anthony Slater @anthonyVslaterIt's the NBA's #30 offense (Detroit) against the #1 defense (Warriors) tonight in SF. Pistons at halftime: 38 points, 36 percent shooting, more turnovers than assists, even with an inactive Draymond Green hanging on the bench and in the bunker suites. Warriors up 66-38.
The Warriors offense stagnated in the second half with just 17 points in the third quarter and 19 in the fourth, but the team kept its large lead thanks to a vintage defensive effort.
The roar of the crowd at the Chase Center was something that surely energized the players after they went 1-3 on their road trip, and they gave their fans reasons to cheer throughout the entire game.
Golden State is one of the best teams in the league, but it has yet to play at full strength this season. When Green returns, it's likely that performances like this one will become the norm for the Warriors. Tuesday's win was surely a nice way to start their run of seven straight home games.
Pistons Get Overpowered Against NBA's Elite
This is not a knock on Detroit, but it's not a surprise that Tuesday's game played out the way it did.
The Pistons are a team that's going nowhere fast, and they were up against a juggernaut in Golden State. It also didn't help that they were without leading scorer Jerami Grant, who hasn't played since Dec. 10 because of a thumb injury.
Stewart was the lone bright spot early on for Detroit. He was active inside the paint with all 14 of his points in the first half, and he had a double-double through three quarters.
Detroit Pistons @DetroitPistons14 PTS & 8 REB at the half for <a href="https://twitter.com/Dreamville_33?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dreamville_33</a> tonight 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsDET?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BallySportsDET</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pistons?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pistons</a> <a href="https://t.co/tOTjNu8EPA">pic.twitter.com/tOTjNu8EPA</a>
Cunningham couldn't get anything going against the Warriors defense. He was held scoreless in the second half.
McGruder came alive in the second half. He scored 17 of his 19 points in the third and fourth quarters.
There's not much that the Pistons can take from Tuesday's game. It would have been nice to see Cunningham flash his potential against one of the top teams in the league, but that didn't happen. Detroit will simply have to put this game in its rearview and move on to the next one.
What's Next?
The Warriors will host the Indiana Pacers on Thursday in the second matchup of a seven-game homestand. The Pistons will look to bounce back Wednesday when they visit the Sacramento Kings.