Jordan Pool # 3 of the Golden State Warriors reacted during their game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half on April 7, 2022 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Ezra Shaw / Getty Images / AFP
Jordan Pool scored 18 points, including four late free throws, to help hold the visiting Golden State Warriors to a 100-94 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday in the final game of the regular season for both teams.
The competition was the first match for both squads, with the Spurs heading to Dallas on Sunday as the Warriors travel to New Orleans to finish the regular season. Golden State (52-29) could secure third place in the Western Conference with a win over the Pelicans.
The rate moved the Spurs to 10th place in the West; San Antonio will play in the play-in tournament in New Orleans on Wednesday.
Golden State, led by seven men, entered the fourth period and never gave up the lead despite a late Spurs push to reduce the gap to two points three times. With 47.9 seconds left, Poole’s two free throws gave the Warriors a 98-94 lead, and with 17.1 seconds left, another pair of charitable stripes allowed Golden State to hold on and win its fourth game in a row.
We don’t usually post free-throw highlights
But 8-8 from the final frame line deserves some love @ Clorox || The clutch moment of the game pic.twitter.com/U9FMab50X5
– Golden State Warriors (Warriors) April 10, 2022
Jonathan Cuminga added 18 points for the Warriors, Andrew Wiggins 15, Dremond Green 12 points and 13 rebounds and Nemanja Bezelica 12 points.
Lonnie Walker IV led all scorers with 24 points while Trey Jones added 15, Joshua Primo added 14 and Josh Richardson contributed 10 points for the Spurs (34-47).
The Warriors led 15 points in the second leg after the Wiggins 3-pointer with 1:19 to play in the half. San Antonio finished the period scoring the final five points and came back 54-44 at the break.
Cuminga and Walker led their respective teams with 13 points at halftime.
The Warriors were 17 points ahead on two different occasions in the third quarter, but the San Antonio 78-71 led to a 10-2 lead, limited by a market-beating 3-pointer.
Spurs have played without four starters – DeGuente Murray (upper respiratory illness), Devin Vassel (left ankle pain), Caldon Johnson (right knee pain) and Jacob Powell (lower back pain). Golden State Stephen Curry (left leg sprain) and Clay Thompson (injury management for right Achilles injury) were absent.
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