Slumping Thompson turns it around as Warriors roll past Chicago Bulls
From the opening tip, it was clear the Golden State Warriors had one goal in mind when they walked into the United Center to face the Chicago Bulls.
The plan was to get Klay Thompson going. The all-star shooting guard had connected on just 13.9 percent of his 3-point attempts heading into this one.
Safe to say the goal was accomplished. Thompson set an NBA record by hitting 14 baskets from 3-point range in 24 attempts. The record breaker happened with 4:53 left in the third quarter.
Winning the game was never much of an issue for the Warriors, as they scored 92 points in the first half and coasted to an easy 149-124 victory.
Thompson finished with 52 points and did all that damage while playing just 27 minutes. He broke the 3-point record set by teammate Steph Curry last season against New Orleans. Had Thompson stayed in the game, he would have threatened the United Center scoring record of 57 points, set by Detroit's Jerry Stackhouse in 2001.
"I didn't even realize what was happening record-wise until they called a timeout, he had made a couple in the second half and I heard Klay say, two more, two more,'" Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "I didn't even know who had the record, so I asked Steph, 'Do you have the record?' He goes, 'Yeah.'
"I'm a little slow on the uptake on some of this stuff. I'm worried about the rest of the game. At that point, the guys were just feeding him every time. I think that's how much they care about Klay and felt for him because he had a rough start to the season."
Technically, the Bulls ended Curry's record streak of hitting at least 5 3-pointers in seven straight games to open a season. Curry got too caught up watching Thompson's scoring spree and added just 23 points of his own on 2-of-4 shooting from 3-point land. Former Windy City Bulls forward Alfonzo McKennie added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State.
The Warriors (7-1) knocked down 13 of their first 18 shots from 3-point range and led 92-50 at halftime. The previous franchise record for points scored in a half was 90 by the Philadelphia Warriors, set during Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.
It was the most points in a half by a Bulls opponent, but not by much. The Lakers scored 91 about two months into the Bulls' inaugural season of 1966-67.
"The disappointing thing is the lack of edge we played with tonight to allow them to get comfortable and get confidence and get going," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. "Then when they hit us in the mouth, we did not respond well."
The only real highlight for the Bulls on this night was when Joakim Noah was introduced during a timeout and got a standing ovation from fans.
Zach LaVine and Antonio Blakeney led the Bulls with 21 points each. Blakeney and Wendell Carter Jr. (18 points) recorded career highs, while guard Shaquille Harrison (13 points) got his first extended action with the Bulls.
Asked if the Bulls can chalk this result up to being short-handed, Justin Holiday answered with a firm, "Nope."
"You go out there to win the game," said Holiday, who played on the Warriors' 2015 championship team. "It doesn't matter. You can't make that excuse."
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