Jordan Poole scores 20 points, Warriors hold off Jazz 94-92

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry has been round lengthy sufficient that he may be playful in the case of his uncommon, current taking pictures funk.

Are his arms wholesome after a few current minor accidents?

“They’re nonetheless connected to my physique and I’m nonetheless getting up loads of makes an attempt,” the two-time MVP stated following one other off-night, one the place his Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 94-92 on Sunday.

“I’m making an attempt to have enjoyable with this. It’s a big-picture perspective on the way you method the sport, the work that you simply put in. It’s clearly irritating. I wish to shoot the ball, it’s irritating. I kicked the chair the opposite day for that cause,“ he stated. ”It’s not like I don’t care and never making an attempt to determine it out however I don’t get preoccupied with it.”

Whereas Curry’s shot is a little bit off — for now — coach Steve Kerr praises his star level guard’s ballhandling, how he’s dishing off and defending and all the opposite intangibles, like these 34 assists to 6 turnovers the previous 4 video games.

Curry scored 13 factors, struggling once more together with his 3-point stroke a month after turning into the all-time NBA 3s chief. He went 1 for 13 from deep and 5 of 20 total.

“Steph seems to be nice bodily. The previous couple of video games he’s enjoying a few of his basketball when it comes to dealing with the purpose guard duties,” Kerr stated. “He’s caring for the basketball, he’s enjoying nice protection, pictures simply aren’t going. ... He’s appeared inhuman for thus lengthy. I feel everyone simply expects him to be in a groove all season lengthy and it’s simply not the best way it really works.”

Jordan Poole scored 20 factors on Sunday night time to guide a balanced Golden State scoring assault because the Warriors held off a late rally by the Jazz. And Curry’s brother-in-law Damion Lee did his half, coming off the bench to hit 4 clutch 3-pointers and rating 12 factors.

The Warriors had been seeking to construct some momentum off Curry’s buzzer-beater in a 105-103 win over Houston on Friday night time. However this was one other frenzied end.

Joe Ingles tied the sport at 89 with 4:09 to play.

Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole (3) shoots towards Utah Jazz middle Rudy Gobert (27) through the first half of an NBA basketball sport in San Francisco, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022.

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The Warriors held on regardless of an 11-point fourth quarter by holding the Jazz to 17 within the interval and 38.3% taking pictures. Royce O’Neale rebounded Bojan Bogdanovic’s missed 3-pointer with a hand in his face and O’Neale couldn’t convert a tip-in as the ultimate buzzer sounded.

“That’s the way you’ve bought to win while you’re scuffling a little bit bit,” Kerr stated. “Actually happy with the group.”

Poole earned one other begin, taking the place of Klay Thompson, who was a late scratch with soreness in his surgically repaired left knee that sidelined him the entire 2019-20 season.

Poole, who went 7 of 13, tells Curry to “simply hold taking pictures.”

“His shot immediately seemed good,” Poole stated. “We all know how good of a shooter he's.”

Bogdanovic — who has not too long ago nursed an injured left ring finger — scored 21 factors whereas Rudy Gobert grabbed 18 rebounds to go together with 12 factors for the Jazz, who misplaced their fourth straight to the Warriors. That streak dates again to precisely a 12 months in the past, when the Jazz gained 127-108 in Utah on Jan. 23, 2021.

Rudy Homosexual’s 3 with 11:37 left pulled the Jazz inside 83-78 then Gobert dunked two possessions later to make it 83-80 earlier than one other slam off an offensive rebound at 9:46. Homosexual completed with 16 factors and 4 3s.

Golden State’s Kevon Looney had his career-best streak of 5 straight video games with double-digit rebounds finish as he grabbed six boards. However his three-point play on a putback with 1:48 left meant loads and he completed with 10 factors.

Kerr known as the basket the “key offensive possession of the sport.”

“It was huge for me, I confirmed a whole lot of emotion,” Looney stated.

CURRY FROM DEEP

Curry, the reigning scoring champion, is simply 35 for 117 from 3-point vary this month.

Something mechanically off? “Who offers a rattling about excuses?” he stated. “You both make pictures otherwise you miss pictures. I’ve bought to begin making some pictures.”

THOMPSON’S BIG QUARTER

Kerr recalled Thompson’s NBA-record 37-point quarter from seven years in the past, when he went off within the third quarter of a 126-101 win towards the Sacramento Kings at Oracle Enviornment on Jan. 23, 2015.

Curry’s Splash Brother wound up with 52 factors whereas going 11 for 15 on 3s.

“It was like a non secular expertise, some of the highly effective moments of my life,” Kerr stated.

TIP-INS

Jazz: Donovan Mitchell sat out his third straight sport with a concussion however coach Quin Snyder is conserving the guard within the combine by checking in often and offering the sport plans. “Concussions are so variable. I really feel for him in that sense,” Snyder stated. ... Former Warriors F Eric Paschall obtained a “Welcome Again to the Bay” and good ovation when he checked in on the 6:53 mark of the primary. He had six factors in 12 minutes. ... The Jazz misplaced their third straight on Golden State’s house flooring.

Warriors: Veteran Andre Iguodala sat out as Golden State manages his left hip damage. “He’s feeling lots higher immediately, however we’re simply going to be protected and hold him out,” Kerr stated. ... Golden State took care of the ball, committing simply 10 turnovers.

UP NEXT

Jazz: At Phoenix on Monday night time to finish the back-to-back.

Warriors: Host the Mavericks on Tuesday night time, seeking to snap a three-game shedding streak within the collection and a four-game skid to Dallas at house.

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