OAKLAND, California – Klay Thompson figured it would just be a matter of time until his outside shot started falling again. That time came in the first quarter.
Thompson hit his first seven shots and scored 18 of his 20 points in the opening period, and the Golden State Warriors cruised past the undermanned Dallas Mavericks 116-95 on Wednesday night.
“I feel it’s coming every game, honestly,” he said. “I won’t let missed shots dictate how hard I play. As long as I play hard, I know I’ll be successful. It’s that simple.”
Kevin Durant led Golden State with 28 points, Stephen Curry added 24 and Draymond Green had 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Warriors used their outside shooting to build a 19-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back.
Harrison Barnes scored 25 points to lead Dallas in his first game against the Warriors since leaving as a free agent last summer. But he didn’t get nearly enough help.
“The first half it was kind of like a deer in headlights,” he said. “It was kind of like the scouting report went out the window and we were just out there playing. Once guys settled in we did a much better job.”
Thompson had been in a bit of a shooting slump to start the season, making just 11 of 53 3-pointers in the first seven games. But he returned to form from the start in this one. He hit four of Golden State’s eight 3s in the opening quarter during a span of just more than two minutes.
“It was good to see him get the 3-point stroke going,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He started off on fire. It didn’t carry over the rest of the game, but he had a tremendous first quarter. You can see it coming. It’s absolutely coming with Klay.”
Durant got going after that and extended the lead to 67-34 in the final minute of the first half with his own shot from long range.
The Mavericks managed to cut the deficit to 13 early in the fourth quarter but never really threatened Golden State the rest of the way.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Starting guards J.J. Barea and Wesley Matthews and C Andrew Bogut got the night off on the back end of a back-to-back. … Dallas has lost eight straight in Oakland.
Warriors: Durant scored at least 20 points for the 72nd straight regular-season game, tying Michael Jordan for the fourth-longest streak ever. Curry left briefly in the third quarter after tweaking his right ankle. He got it taped and came back into the game.
REUNION
The game marked a return to Oakland for Barnes and Bogut, who left in the offseason after the Warriors signed Durant. They both got long ovations before the game and a video tribute in the first quarter for their roles in winning the NBA title in 2015 and a record 73 regular-season games last season.
“The fans here are phenomenal,” Barnes said. “They showed love ever since my rookie year up until my last year here, so it was very nice.”
BROTHERLY LOVE
With Barea sitting, Seth Curry got the start for Dallas and a matchup with big brother Steph. They guarded each other when both were in the game and Stephen hit a 30-footer over Seth in the second quarter. Seth had 10 points and nine assists.
“It’s always a good time when we’re matched up against each other,” he said.
SPREAD THE WEALTH
Thompson, Durant, Curry and Green all hit four 3-pointers for the Warriors. The Elias Sports Bureau said it’s the first time a team had four players hit at least four 3s in one game.
JOSH DUBOW
