Without Steph or Draymond, Warriors snap five-game losing streak against Rockets

Evan Webeck, The Mercury News on Dec 6, 2024

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SAN FRANCISCO — With Steph Curry and Draymond Green both wearing sweatsuits at opposite ends of the bench Thursday night, the Warriors were going to need alternate scoring options in order to snap their season-long losing streak and continue a historic run of success against the Houston Rockets.

Inserted into the starting lineup for the sixth time this season, Jonathan Kuminga understood the assignment.

An aggressive and efficient performance from the fourth-year wing helped guide the undermanned Warriors to their first win in nearly two weeks, 99-93.

Kuminga contributed a season-high 33 points on 13-of-22 shooting — including 15 in the final period — to go with 23 points and nine rebounds from Andrew Wiggins as Golden State returned to the win column for the first time since Nov. 22, snapping a skid of five straight losses.

The Warriors (13-8) haven’t lost to the Rockets (15-8) since Feb. 20, 2020, extending their winning streak to 15 regular-season games, one shy of the longest active run against one opponent in the NBA. They will have the opportunity to match the Knicks’ 16 straight wins against the Pistons next week, when the teams meet again in Houston for the next round of the NBA Cup.

By then, the Warriors hope to have Curry (knee) and Green (calf) back in lineup. Wearing a Golden State Valkyries jersey over his green sweats, Green missed his second game in a row and Curry his second game in a matter of weeks with ongoing ailments, but coach Steve Kerr said both could be back as soon as Friday against the Timberwolves.

Playing without their two stars for the first time this season, the Warriors quickly built a 15-point advantage out of halftime that they never relinquished, despite missing two-fifths of their typical closing lineup.

Houston pulled within 2, 87-85, prompting Kerr to call timeout with 4:38 remaining, and Kuminga converted a tip-in on the next possession to stave off the comeback attempt. Gary Payton II intercepted a pass from Jalen Green with 1:07 left and set up a Euro-stepping Kuminga to put the game on ice.

Curry and Green both popped from their position on the bench to mob Kuminga after the Warriors called his number one more time, clinging to a 3-point lead with less than a minute left, and he took his defender off the dribble and converted at the rim to clinch the win.

Golden State improved to 24-39 all-time when playing without both Curry and Green.

The Warriors took a 49-43 advantage into halftime, thanks to 12 second-quarter points from Wiggins, who converted his second 4-point play of the period to allow Golden State to take its biggest lead since midway through the first quarter into intermission.

Getting the starting nod in place of Green, Kuminga came out aggressive and scored a team-high eight points on 3-of-7 shooting in the opening quarter. Despite connecting on only 7 of their 22 shots from the field in the first quarter, the Warriors didn’t trail for the first time until the final minute of the period.