SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors endured quite the unique path Saturday night to open a season-long, seven-game homestand with a 115-110 win over the Detroit Pistons.
It’s not every night that a fire alarm – a false alarm – delays the start of a second quarter and orders Chase Center’s soldout crowd of 18,064 to evacuate, which roughly 20 percent of the fans were doing before the all-clear signal was given.
And it’s not every night that Steph Curry is honored for a milestone — is it? — but he became the NBA’s 26th player to cross the 25,000-point threshold during Saturday’s third quarter.
The crowd broke into an “MVP” chant as Curry knocked down four free throws in the final seconds for the Warriors’ final points, capping his 32-point homecoming and carrying over his momentum from a 4-1 road trip.
Both teams entered with 35-28 records, so it shouldn’t have been too shocking that a tight, back-and-forth affair played out on this stage.
“It was physical. It was testy. A lot of pushing and shoving,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “To win a game like that, when clearly we were tired and trying to get our legs underneath us coming off that trip, it was a big-time win.”
It was their 11th win in 13 games since Jimmy Butler’s Feb. 8 arrival, via a trade that Kerr again commended general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. for making.
Saturday’s outcome was in doubt throughout, as much as the home crowd hoped that Curry’s step-back 3-pointer with 3:25 remaining would put the Warriors in the lead for good. It didn’t, but it was a positive sign for Curry who, up to then, had made just 4-of-15 3-point attempts yet owned 25 points.
It wasn’t until 35 seconds remaining when the Warriors secured an insurmountable lead: Butler dished the ball to Draymond Green, who hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining for a 110-108 lead. Green made 1-of-2 free throws with 24 seconds left for a 111-108 cushion, then Cunningham dribbled past Green for a dunk with 17 seconds to go for a 111-110 game.
Butler made his own clutch bucket with 1:22 remaining, hitting a 12-foot, pull-up jumper to put the Warriors back in front. That gave him 26 points for his most yet in a Warriors’ uniform, surpassing his 25 in his Feb. 8 debut against Chicago as well as Thursday’s win at Brooklyn.
“This is part of the Jimmy dynamic. He is built for these kinds of games,” Kerr said. “He’ll get us a shot, he’ll get to the line, and he’ll take big shots. Playoff Jimmy is a real thing, and in some ways that felt like a playoff game with the physicality.
“It was kind of a rock fight, frankly,” Kerr added. “Guys like Jimmy thrive in games like this.”
The Warriors opened the evening with a 9-0 lead, but they led just 22-20 after the first quarter, which is when the fire alarm went off and cast curious looks on everyone inside the 6-year-old, bayfront home.
“Somebody told us just to stay put. It’s the first time I’ve ever been a part of anything like that in my NBA career,” Kerr said. “It was a bizarre few minutes. Thankfully it was a false alarm.”
Players on both teams remained on the court and loitered around their respective benches, with the Warriors ahead 22-20 after the first quarter. A message on the videoboards read (in all caps): “Attention: There has been a fire alarm reported in the building. Proceed to the nearest exit and leave the building. Do not use elevators.” As the game resumed, Chase Center’s public-address system and music went silent for about 15 minutes.
The Pistons and the Warriors then traded the lead throughout the second quarter (and the third and the fourth). Curry was scoreless for eight minutes after the false alarm; he had seven points in the first quarter to carry some momentum over from his sensational road show, which opened with a 56-point outburst in Orlando nine days earlier.
Curry was just 1-of-6 on 3-point attempts before halftime, and his teammates weren’t much better from there (4-of-20 overall). Curry finished 4-of-15 from 3-point range, 8-of-22 on all field-goal attempts, and 12-of-12 on free throws against the physically minded Pistons.
“Tonight was not a great shooting night for him, but I love how he played through fatigue and a physical night,” Kerr said. “That’s the mark of a great player.”
The Warriors got outscored 32-12 in the paint in the first half, but that balanced out afterward to the tune of 24-24.
Butler opened the third-quarter scoring with a game-tying 3-pointer – his first of the night and only his fourth in 12 games with the Warriors. He hit another 3-pointer in the quarter’s closing minute
Coach Steve Kerr’s dream scenario for this homestead: “Same things we just saw on road: two-way basketball, winning the possession battle, taking care of the ball, snagging some offensive rebounds just and being solid. … Jimmy has changed our team because he just makes the simple play over and over and over again. Our other guys need to follow suit.”
NOTES
Jonathan Kuminga’s return from a right-ankle sprain “should be soon and we’re excited to get him back,” said Kerr, noting that the young forward had just looked good in a scrimmage as was feeling positive. … Trayce Jackson-Davis checked into the game late in the first quarter, after Kevon Looney drew his third foul. Jackson-Davis had fallen out of the Warriors’ rotation and is expected to play Sunday at Chase Center for the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors against the Mexico City Capitanes (12:30 p.m.). “Tomorrow is about getting rhythm,” Kerr said. “We’re here at Chase so he’ll get a really good run. … I would wager almost anything in these last 19 games, he’ll find his way into the rotation at some point and he’s just got to steady ready for that.” … Guard Brandin Podziemski (lower-back soreness) was ruled out after a pregame workout.
