Chris Paul steps up with no Stephen Curry: Leads Golden State Warriors to clutch victory over San Antonio Spurs

The Golden State Warriors were without superstar Stephen Curry for the second straight game, but that didn’t matter. Chris Paul took control of this game and led the Golden State Warriors to a 112-102 win over the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.

CP3 was acquired this off-season in exchange for Jordan Poole, and it’s been a rough season for the 38-year-old point guard. He’s dealt with numerous injuries and had to adjust to coming off the bench for the first time in his career. The veteran leader has had tough battles against his teammates over the years but now he is on their side and will do whatever it takes to win a championship.

The Point God showed some flashbacks of his prime All-Star self in this matchup, as he started in place of the 2-time MVP and finished with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. Jonathan Kuminga scored a team high 22 points while Klay Thompson chipped in 21 points with 4 made triples.

Andrew Wiggins had 16 points and Brandin Podziemski recorded 14 points with 8 boards. Trayce Jackson-Davis had a big night off the bench, ending with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists including a poster dunk over Victor Wembanyama.

Wemby wasn’t phased by that, however, as he finished with a game high 27 points and 14 rebounds. Devin Vassell scored 17 points while Keldon Johnson provided 16 points off the bench. Zach Collins recorded 10 points, 10 boards, and 3 blocks in his 17 minutes of play.

Golden State improves to 34-30 with this win. This was a huge victory for them as they are the 10th seed but sit just 1 game behind the Lakers for the 9th seed, which is the team that will get to host the first game in the play-in tournament. The Warriors are 6-4 over their last 10 games and will look to start a winning streak on Wednesday when they face off against the Dallas Mavericks.

San Antonio drops to 14-51 with this loss. Although they are eliminated from the playoffs, they have been playing competitive basketball as of late and Wemby is showcasing his dominance. They will look to add some more talent around him but in the meantime, they will continue to develop the players around him currently. They are 3-7 over their last 10 games and their next matchup will be tomorrow against the Houston Rockets.