INGLEWOOD, Calif. — As Stephen Curry watched Al Horford rain down four three-pointers in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s 126-121 comeback win over the LA Clippers in the 9/10 Western Conference Play-In Tournament game, his mind drifted back to another moment in time when the veteran big man stole the show on an even larger stage.
“I had flashbacks to Game 1 in the ’22 Finals,” Curry said, referencing when Horford, then a member of the Boston Celtics, racked up 26 points and hit six 3-pointers in a win over Curry and the Warriors. “Because it was just like that, where all of a sudden — he was 0-for-3 at one point from 3, and then he hits the first one. It was just a sign of how confident he was shooting it. There was no hesitation, there was no doubt. There was just ‘I’m open. I’ll shoot it.’”
Wednesday night was a throwback game for the Warriors. Curry was his usual brilliant self when his team needed him the most. Draymond Green locked up Clippers star Kawhi Leonard defensively and helped close down the game. The group displayed the type of championship qualities that left coach Steve Kerr beaming after it was over. But in the midst of the usual suspects putting on a show in a game that finally mattered, it was Horford who reminded not just his team, but himself, just how good he can still be.
After an up-and-down season defined by his injury absences on the floor, the 39-year-old Horford rose to the occasion, as he’s done so many times throughout his career. And he did it with the help of the two Warriors stalwarts who had watched him produce at that level from a distance for almost two decades.
“Steph was in my ear,” Horford said. “Draymond was in my ear the whole time, giving me that confidence and letting me know that I do that, that I’m capable of (that). And for me, that was a special moment that I shared with them there, and with our season on the line, it was pretty fitting.”
Not only did the 18-year veteran hit some of the biggest shots of the night, he also gave Warriors fans a jolt of electricity that caused a takeover inside Intuit Dome, with hundreds of Golden State fans screaming “Warrrrrrrrriors” at the top of their lungs late in the fourth quarter.
When Horford signed with the Warriors after training camp began, he did so hoping that he could contend for another title this season. While that won’t be the case barring a miracle postseason run, his shooting display gave Curry and the rest of his teammates the boost they always expected to see from him throughout the season.
“He’s one of the main reasons why we won this game,” Warriors big man Kristaps Porziņģis said. “To have that spark in the fourth, not really expecting it maybe, was perfect.”
Speaking of reasons why the Warriors won on Wednesday, Porziņģis’ performance is high on the list. The 30-year-old played his best game in a Warriors jersey, scoring 20 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out five assists and blocking two shots. Like Horford, his former teammate with the Celtics, Porziņģis’ season has been defined by his inability to stay on the floor because of lingering health issues. In recent weeks, he struggled to find consistency, and with such little time playing alongside Curry, he didn’t develop the rhythm the Warriors hoped to see when they acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks before February’s trade deadline.
Porziņģis played his best game in a Warriors jersey, scoring 20 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out five assists and blocking two shots. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images)
Like Horford, though, when the Warriors needed Porziņģis’ best, he provided what they were looking for. On top of the offensive output, Porziņģis had a putback dunk that gave the Warriors a lift, and he said that Wednesday offered “a good preview” of what he and the group could still accomplish together.
The Warriors always believed that Porziņģis could be the type of threat he proved to be against the Clippers; now they just have to hope he can do it again against the Phoenix Suns in another Play-In game on Friday.
“He’s a great player,” Kerr said of Porziņģis. “He won a championship in Boston. He’s been in big games. He’s played in big FIBA games. Kristaps is a really talented dude. That type of 3-point range, the shot blocking, the length … he’s got a great feel, great IQ. I know the last couple weeks he hasn’t shot it that well, but it’s only a matter of time, and obviously this game meant a lot and he came up big.”
Horford and Porziņģis’ combined performance showed what the Warriors hoped they would become this season if the group had stayed healthy. The pair’s length, outside shooting ability and experience provided building blocks for what the Warriors initially hoped could be a long playoff push. Instead, what Wednesday was a reminder to both men just how formidable they can be on the floor when they get things rolling at the same time.
Horford’s contribution was so unexpected after missing so much time that he said he even surprised himself.
“I definitely did if I’m being completely honest,” he said. “And Coach talked about it in the locker room — we’ve all won a lot of special games, but this game, for us, felt very special. It tested us as a team, and for us to be able to come (out) on top was really good.”
Horford’s clutch delivery didn’t stun Curry and his other teammates. They knew this was always inside the proud big man, and they were happy to see him showcase that talent at the right time.
“That’s championship pedigree and experience,” Curry said. “When he’s been healthy and available, he’s shown that all year, and I’m glad he was able to get back in time to do exactly what he did tonight. He’s been a huge part of the vision of what this team was supposed to be. And I’m super happy for him because we’ve seen the work he’s put in behind the scenes to get right for this stretch run.”