For the first time at Chase Center, Stephen Curry faced his long-time Splash Brother wearing unfamiliar colors. After 13 seasons and four NBA titles together, Curry knew competing against Klay Thompson would feel surreal—long before the game’s actual stakes were decided.
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The Warriors initially faced a competitive contest but took control in the third quarter and eventually secured a comfortable 20-point victory. Despite the result, much of the attention remained on the reunion between the former Splash Brothers.
“It’s definitely surreal, but it’s also a blessing that we’re still playing and the idea of what we were able to accomplish together with Draymond and our entire company that we played with for those years,” Curry said after the game. “Just the idea that we can still have battles. I walked away kind of knowing he’s in the Eastern Conference and that I only get to see him twice this year. But just the idea every time you play against him, it’s one closer to the end.
“There’s still a competition. It was a good back and forth. He definitely got me on the layup. I didn’t see him coming a little bit, but he had an unbelievable night last night. It’s great to see Klay playing well.”
Stephen Curry finished with 29 points to lead Golden State, including 22 after halftime. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg also made his presence felt, recording 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. The win also became important because Klay Thompson had previously shared some warning shots.
Before facing Golden State, the veteran guard had already enjoyed a memorable night against the Los Angeles Clippers. He finished with 30 points and eight three-pointers, including a game-winning shot in overtime. It was also the first game-winning three-pointer of his career in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime, including both the regular season and playoffs.
Even Stephen Curry reacted and highly spoke about his former teammate’s clutch shot. “I texted Draymond right after (Klay hit the game-winner). Just told him Killa Klay,” Curry said postgame.
Thompson was clearly enjoying his return to form. After the Clippers’ victory, he expressed his excitement not only about playing at the Chase Center again but also beating his former team.
“Hopefully I can continue the same flow cause I made a lot of buckets in that building. And it’s fun to beat up on old friends.” But he finished with 11 points and 3 assists on 2/7 three-point shooting.
Unfortunately for the Miami star, his former team had the last laugh this time. Golden State delivered the victory, and Jimmy Butler made sure the result did not go unnoticed.
The Warriors forward took to Instagram after the game and shared an AI-generated video poking fun at Thompson. The clip drew inspiration from the 1999 buddy-cop comedy Blue Streak, using dialogue from one of the movie’s memorable scenes.
“Don’t just hand it to me, I gotta take it from you,” said Curry. And it ended with him saying, “Remember, you don’t know me anymore.” The video ended with an AI version of Stephen Curry handcuffing Klay, adding another layer to the joke.
Thompson’s departure initially took him to the Dallas Mavericks in 2024. After spending two seasons in Dallas, he reached a buyout agreement with the franchise in August before signing a two-year contract with Miami. His return to the Bay Area had already attracted attention before tipoff, particularly from those who spent years watching him alongside Stephen Curry.
Not just Curry; even head coach Steve Kerr also acknowledged the unusual feeling of seeing his former players wearing Heat uniforms.