Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry combined for 68 points, propelling the Golden State Warriors to a trademark third-quarter barrage and a 14th-consecutive road win on Wednesday.
Win No. 14 matched the franchise best, which was previously set during the 2015-2016 season.
On a night when the Warriors were without Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala from the start and lost Jordan Bell on the first play, here’s what you need to know …
The Splash Brothers carried the night — and the third quarter in particular. For the 11th time, Thompson and Curry both eclipsed the 30-point plateau in the same game. Thompson had a season-high 38, while Curry scored an even 30.
Curry began with a 14-point opening quarter, before the Splash Brothers both went for 11 in the third — the only quarter the team won. And they won it in emphatic fashion, outscoring their hosts 32-12. At one point, the Dubs delivered a 19-0 run.
As a group, the Warriors deserve praise for their defensive effort. The 12 points allowed tied a season low for fewest points in a quarter. The Bulls went 6-for-24 from the field, at one point missing 10 shots in a row.
Speaking of shooting, Curry and Thompson were lights out from beyond the arc. The pair of guards were 13-for-24 from 3-point range. The rest of the club? 0-for-9.
Curry just missed a double-double, grabbing nine rebounds. But there was a glaring blemish on the two-time MVP’s ledger, as he committed six turnovers, several of which were highly careless.
What could have been a big game turned into a scary one for Bell. The rookie, who started for Green (shoulder), only made it 24 seconds into the contest before he was carted off the court in a wheelchair.
Bell attempted to block Robin Lopez, but instead fell to the floor after the collision, landing awkwardly on his left ankle. The Warriors announced that X-rays were negative, but Bell is due to get an MRI on Thursday.
It was an unfortunate and all-too-short outing for Bell who had the chance to show off against the team that traded him to the Warriors for $3.5 million on draft night.
Kevon Looney continued his successful road trip. Looney seized the opening provided by Bell’s untimely exit, finishing the game plus-33 as he played a season-high 30 minutes. It was a bizarre stat line for Looney who continues to provide head coach Steve Kerr with quality frontcourt minutes off the bench. Looney had four rebounds but just two points.
For the sake of comparison, Nick Young was minus-28 in 19 minutes.
The historic road streak rolls on. The Warriors will have the chance to end their trip with a perfect 5-0 record and set a new franchise high for 15 consecutive road wins on Saturday night when the team visits the Houston Rockets. The current stretch is plenty impressive, spanning nearly two months. Golden State hasn’t lost away from Oracle Arena since a lopsided 108-91 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 22.
kbuscheck@sfexaminer.comchicago bullsGolden State Warriorsjordan bellKevon LooneyKlay ThompsonNBAStephen Curry
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