Golden State Warriors rally to grab 13th victory

The Warriors survived their biggest threat yet this season, producing the biggest comeback in the National Basketball Association this season to beat the rival Los Angeles Clippers 124-117 on Thursday night.

The Warriors were one win away from equaling the best start by a defending National Basketball Association champion and two from matching the best start by any team in league history.

The win makes the Warriors just the fifth team to start a season 13-0, putting them behind the 2002/03 Dallas Mavericks and 1957/58 Boston Celtics (14-0) as well as the 1993/94 Houston Rockets and 1948/49 Washington Capitols (15-0). Towards the end of the quarter, the Warriors had cut the lead to single-digits, but a big 5-point swing involving a Curry three that rattled out and a Wesley Johnson dunk helped keep Los Angeles afloat. The small-ball group that features Curry, Klay Thompson (who had his best game of the season), Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, and the utterly essential Draymond Green continues to confound opponents that feature very different strengths and superstars.

“I actually thought it was more of our offense in the second half than it was our defense”, Rivers said, “because I thought empty possession after empty possession after empty possession gave them better rhythm offensively”.

After a Paul Pierce 3-pointer gave the Clippers a 112-102 lead with 5:05 to play, the Warriors responded by closing out the game on a 22-5 run. It was the Warriors’ second win of the season over the Clippers, after a 112-108 triumph on November 4.

Chris Paul might return to Clippers lineup Thursday: Doc Rivers stood near a group of reporters speaking with Chris Paul and put his hands on his hips, feigning a look of impatience as he stared at the All-Star point guard.

Thompson tried to keep pace with 15 first quarter points, but with Curry sitting with early foul trouble, the Warriors trailed 41-25 after one.

Paul had a team-high 35 points, to go along with eight assists and four rebounds, and power forward Blake Griffin added 27 points, six rebounds and five assists. The Clippers absorbed a major comeback attempt from the Warriors and seemed to come out on the other side in good shape.

Paul was nothing short of sensational in the first quarter while collecting four assists and making all seven of his shots, including one that dropped through the rim on the third bounce.

J.R. Smith added 18 points for Cleveland.

Rivers said during his pregame press conference Paul (groin) will play, while J.J. Redick (back spasms) will likely be out.

Steph Curry scored a game-high 40 points, including 13 in the final nine minutes as the Warriors took over the game and, in most ways, the building.

The Warriors fell behind by many as 23 points in the second quarter while Paul was resting, but they did get a glimmer of hope. Jordan and Rivers were whistled for technical fouls 23 seconds apart, and Curry was able to hit four straight free throws to cut the lead to 15.

A Curry 3-pointer cut the deficit to 68-54 at halftime.

Interim head coach Luke Walton said before the game that Kerr’s presence was welcomed during his leave of absence after two offseason back surgeries.

“No matter how bad we are playing our goal is to always have a shot”, he said.

Curry stressed winning another championship this time would be different from last season.

Since that loss in January, the Warriors have won a franchise-record 25 straight games at home.