Steph Curry, Klay Thompson splash again in Warriors’ big win vs. Pistons

SAN FRANCISCO — In case there was any doubt, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson quickly quieted whatever concerns existed following a 1-3 road trip and a stretch of subpar play that dated back even further.

Yes, the Splash Brothers are back.

Curry and Thompson had shared the court three times since Thompson’s long-awaited return, but finally, Tuesday night against the Pistons, they combined to make tidal waves reminiscent of past title runs.

With early explosions from both Splash Brothers, the Warriors went up by as many as 34 points and led for all but the initial seconds of a 102-86 win over the Detroit Pistons, a much-needed bounce-back performance to start a seven-game home stand.

Curry went on a mini-flurry, then Thompson got hot. They combined for 39 points and took over the game in a fashion that was certainly familiar to Warriors fans but didn’t quite exist in their first game back together.

“That was probably the best stretch that Steph and Klay have played together,” coach Steve Kerr said afterward. “And it was a really nice groove in front of our home fans, which was great to see.”

Thompson, still restricted to about 24 minutes per game, re-entered for the final 6:24 of the first half with the Warriors already up 20 and scored 12 of their final 20 points of the half, extending their lead to 66-38 with a corner 3 — right after 28-footer from Curry — as the clock ticked toward intermission.

“Classic corner 3,” Thompson said. “Pump fake. Side step. Knock it down. I really felt like myself in that instance. I didn’t even think about it. I just flicked it off my wrist.”

When he exited for the final time with an 91-73 lead and 4:43 to play, Thompson had played 22 minutes and scored a game-high 21 points, pairing with 18 from Curry in 29 minutes (with a team-leading eight assists).

“I’m just so happy to be out on the court with him again,” Thompson said. “We play off each other so well. He found me for a couple easy cuts.”

For the first time since before Christmas — nine games — Curry shot better than 50% from the field. It was clear he was on after his first two 3s, which both fell true only one possession apart midway through the first quarter.

In three previous games together, amid Curry’s slump and Thompson’s reintegration, the duo had averaged 36.3 points and combined to shoot 38.9%. Against Detroit, they made half of their 24 attempts from the field and 7 of 15 from distance, besting their scoring average by the start of the fourth quarter.

Another important first: Andrew Wiggins found his groove as the third option alongside Thompson and Curry. After being limited to 13, 16 and 12 points in the three previous games he played with Thompson, Wiggins reasserted himself with 19 points in 28 minutes.

“I thought Steph really orchestrated everything while the three of them were out there,” Kerr said. “Steph was really patient. He had eight assists and only one turnover and seemed like he getting both those guys the ball. It all seemed very fluid and natural, so it was a great sign.”

Curry. Thompson. Wiggins. That’s a trio the Warriors are happy to see occupy the top three spots in the scoring column. They combined for 58 points before checking out for good (64% of the Warriors’ 91 points when they left the game) — Curry and Wiggins in the third quarter, Thompson after one final run during garbage time — the lead and a bounce-back win safely in hand.

Thompson admitted after the road trip that he was still acclimating to playing with Wiggins, but their chemistry is growing by the game. After Tuesday’s win, Thompson said he is “really enjoying” playing with Wiggins and advocated for his all-star candidacy.

“I think we can form a pretty amazing trio,” Thompson said.

By the second of Curry’s consecutive 3s, just over 8 minutes into the game, the Warriors had already built a double-digit lead. It only got larger from there.

The Warriors needed a convincing win like this one — a slump buster in more ways than one — after losing five of their previous seven games, including three of four on their past road trip. Their offensive rating slipped from the top 3 in the league to middle of the pack, and they lost their place atop the Western Conference (2.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns after the win).

“It’s time to get back on track,” Wiggins said before tipoff. “We let some games slip from us. We went through a little rough patch. But now it’s trying to get back on track. No better place to do it than at home.”

Beyond the reemergence of the Warriors’ famed shooting duo, another tenet of Golden State basketball that had recently gone missing helped manifest Wiggins’ pregame comments into a final score.

The Warriors’ relentless defense held the Pistons to 35.3% from the field — 26.5% from 3 — and forced 16 turnovers (with 12 steals), their most stifling effort of the season by shooting percentage. They had held just one of the previous 15 opponents below 40% from the field.

Consider the competition (the Pistons are the worst shooting team in basketball and connected at a 40% clip in their previous meeting), but take note that the Warriors righted their defensive struggles without their best defensive player, Draymond Green, who will miss at least the remainder of the home stand with lower back problems.

Without Green out of the lineup, Kerr gave the starting nod to 19-year-old rookie Jonathan Kuminga, the third start of his career and the first time he started alongside Curry and Thompson. After the first double-double of his career — 12 points, 10 rebounds — Kerr said Kuminga had earned a spot in the starting five, at least until Green returns.

Two early fouls fouls in the first 4 minutes, with Kuminga matched up on Cade Cunningham, the player selected six spots ahead of him in the past draft, almost spoiled his first time starting alongside the rest of the normal starting five. But Kuminga settled in after halftime to collect the double double.

“Even though he picked up the fouls, I liked his intensity getting to the ball,” Kerr said. “We’ll keep starting JK. We’ll see how it goes the next few games but we’ll keep doing it until Draymond’s back, probably.”