INGLEWOOD — Clippers coach Tyronn Lue knew better. He knew the Golden State Warriors were too talented to take lightly – Steph Curry or no Steph Curry.
Lue knew that even though the Warriors came into the Intuit Dome on Friday having lost two consecutive games and 11 of their past 14, they weren’t going to walk out without giving the Clippers something to think about.
After a tight first half in which the Warriors led twice, the Clippers needed a strong defensive effort in the fourth quarter to hold on for a 102-92 victory, their third win against the Warriors this season.
“We can never get comfortable … they’re 4-1 when Steph doesn’t play,” Lue said. “So, that says a lot about (Coach) Steve Kerr and the coaching staff over there. They beat some good opponents when he has sat out.
“So, we’re not looking past Golden State. We’re not saying that it’s going to be an easy game because Steph is out because Steve’s done a great job. Just whoever’s on the floor, they’re going to play hard, they’re going to play well.”
Two-time league MVP Curry was given the night off – the first game of a back-to-back set – after playing 36 minutes in the Warriors’ Christmas Day loss to the Lakers. The Warriors host the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.
Golden State was also missing forward Draymond Green, who was a game-time decision because of a lower back contusion, and guard Gary Payton II, who is nursing a calf strain.
The Clippers also had their share of players on the injury list. All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, who is close to returning from a season-long knee issue, remains out along with Terance Mann (finger), Kevin Porter Jr. (illness) and Kobe Brown (back).
Unlike the Warriors, the Clippers started the same lineup that has played much of the season, and they came up big in the second half.
The Clippers used a balanced attack to open a 21-point lead (81-60) by the end of the third quarter, but the Warriors weren’t ready to surrender.
Much to the delight of the large number of Warriors fans in the arena, Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis fueled a late run as Golden State cut the margin to 87-80 with 4:36 left.
Kuminga made it a four-point game (87-83) on a layup with 3:37 remaining, but Norman Powell buried a 3-pointer to give the Clippers a 90-85 lead. Kris Dunn then made one of two free throws for a 91-85 cushion.
Golden State got within 91-88 on a 3-pointer by Moses Moody with 2:30 remaining, but the Clippers (18-13) held off any further challenges by the Warriors (15-15) to win their second consecutive game and their fourth in the past five games.
Powell led the Clippers with 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting, while Ivica Zubac had his seventh straight double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Harden had 18 points, seven assists and three rebounds as six Clippers scored in double figures.
Without Curry, who has been averaging 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.2 steals, the Warriors struggled to score against the Clippers’ fifth-rated defense and tempers flared briefly when Brandon Podziemski knocked over Clippers guard Amir Coffey near the Warriors’ bench.
A minute earlier, Harden had been called for a hard offensive foul on Podziemski. Harden and Lindy Waters III were assessed technical fouls, and fans then booed Podziemski whenever he touched the ball the rest of the way.
Kuminga led Golden State with a career-high 34 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Jackson-Davis had 15 points and nine rebounds. Guard Dennis Schroder, playing in his fifth game with Golden State since being acquired in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, had seven points and five assists. The Warriors shot 37% from the floor, but they outrebounded the Clippers 47-39, grabbing 19 offensive boards.
Whatever advantage the Clippers thought they had against Curry-less lineup was erased early as the visitors pushed the Clippers to play their starters heavy minutes in the first half.
Powell played all of the second quarter and 20 minutes total in the first half, while Harden was on the court for the entire first quarter and 19 minutes overall. Both had 10 points each as the Clippers held a slim 49-43 lead at the half.
The extra minutes didn’t bother the Clippers’ stars. The team was coming off three days off and has another two off before traveling to play a back-to-back series against the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs.
The rest – not rust – was evident as the half played out.
Trailing 41-40, Harden buried a 3-pointer to give his team the lead. After a layup by Jackson-Davis, Amir Coffey and Harden hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Clippers a six-point lead at halftime.
More to come on this story.