Resurgent Klay Thompson leads Warriors to crucial rout of banged-up Heat

Klay Thompson scored 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting and the Golden State Warriors delivered one of their best defensive performances of the season en route to a 113-92 win over the host Miami Heat on Tuesday (Wednesday, March 27, Manila time).

Golden State (37-34), which came into Tuesday’s contest on a two-game skid, led much of the way and took control in the fourth quarter. The Warriors held Miami to just 6-of-22 shooting in the period, growing their lead to 22 points in the process.

The Heat (39-33) shot 37 of 92 for the game, including a dismal 8 of 33 (24.2 percent) from 3-point range. Bam Adebayo scored a team-high 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting, and Haywood Highsmith added 15 points off the bench on 6-of-7 shooting, including a 3-for-3 showing from long range.

The rest of Miami’s double-figure scorers — Terry Rozier (15 points), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (12), Nikola Jovic (11) and Caleb Martin (10) — all shot 40 percent or less.

The 92 points are the third fewest the Warriors have allowed on the season. They improved to 6-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 points.

Miami, meanwhile, has scored no more than 92 points in each of its past four losses.

Golden State had its own struggles from 3-point distance, including an uncharacteristic 3-for-10 outing from Stephen Curry, who finished with 17 points. Despite their collective 13-for-38 effort from beyond the arc, the Warriors went 47 of 85 (55.3 percent) from the floor.

Golden State outscored Miami 52-46 in the paint and had a 13-6 advantage in second-chance points.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, with three on the offensive glass, for the Warriors. Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and another seven rebounds, and Draymond Green finished with nine rebounds and eight assists.

Neither team led by more than eight in the first half, and Green converted a layup with 2.2 seconds remaining to pull Golden State within 55-53 at the break. The Warriors opened the third quarter with a 13-4 burst to go up 66-59, and Miami never got closer than four the rest of the way. – Rappler.com