SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors have rekindled their third-quarter mojo for the second consecutive game Thursday night en route to picking up another key win for playoff seeding.
Jordan Poole scored 34 points, including 18 in the third, and Klay Thompson had a double-double with 19 points and a career-high 11 rebound to power Golden State to a 115-91 victory over the floundering Los Angeles Clippers.
The Warriors’ fourth straight win moved them into sole possession of fifth place in the bunched up Western Conference playoff race while the Clippers, losers of four straight, fell to seventh.
The Warriors had another trademark third-quarter outburst — something that’s been few and far between this season — for their second consecutive game. They outscored the Clippers 42-16 in the third for their largest point differential in that quarter yet this season.
Between Thursday’s outburst and Tuesday’s explosion against the Trail Blazers, Golden State has outscored its opponents in the third 81-33 over the last two games.
The Warriors shot 16-for-48 (33.3%) from the floor and 3-for-22 (13.6%) from deep in the first half, while the Clippers went 22-for-44 (50%) from the field and made three more shots from beyond the arc than Golden State.
But the game turned in the Warriors’ favor after the break. Golden State came out aggressive and with more energy, pouncing at every opportunity. They shot the ball better, too. In the third quarter alone, the Warriors made seven 3s, with Poole accounting for four of them. Golden State finished the night going 14-for-46 from beyond the arc.
The Warriors won the battle of the boards, too, outrebounding the Clippers 60-47.
Thompson drained a 3 to tie the game at 66 at the midway point of the third. The Warriors would outscore the Clippers 21-6 the rest of the quarter and held on from there.
The Warriors, who are 2-1 against the Clippers this season, will close out their five-game homestand Friday night against the New Orleans Pelicans. It could be their last game without Stephen Curry, who’s missed nearly a month with a leg injury. He told TNT ahead of Thursday’s broadcast that he intended to play Sunday in Los Angeles against the Lakers, which will open a three-game road trip.
