Warriors blow out Spurs and move back into No. 6 playoff position

The Warriors got off to a torrid start Sunday, evened their road trip record at 2-2 and moved back into the No. 6 playoff position in the Western Conference.

After starting slowly in their first three games of the the trip, the Warriors exploded out of the gate for 44 points in the first quarter and kept it up throughout a 148-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

The point total was the highest of the season, surpassing the 140 points against Portland in the regular-season opener on Oct. 23. The Warriors shot 57.7 percent from the floor (56-for-97) and were 21 of 44 from 3-point land. Even Kevon Looney, who didn’t have a 3-pointer all season, got into the act in the first quarter.

Of the Warriors’ 56 field goals, 42 came on assisted baskets.

At 42-31, the Warriors moved back into the sixth spot — the last position that doesn’t include a play-in game — with the Los Angeles Clippers moving from sixth to eighth at 42-32 after a road loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Eight games remain in the regular season.

Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 27 points and had a career-high seven 3-point baskets in nine attempts. Moses Moody had 20 points and three 3-pointers, Buddy Hield 19, Draymond Green14 and Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry 13 each.

Keldon Johnson led San Antonio with 19 points, with Devin Vassell adding 12.

The Warriors improved to 18-5 since the acquisition of Butler and are 11-0 with the starting lineup of Butler, Curry, Green, Moody and Podziemski. All five players were in double figures by the time the fourth quarter started.

By the time the Warriors made their first substitution with 5:21 left in the first quarter, they led 28-16.

In his pregame talk with reporters, coach Steve Kerr explained why the smallish lineup has been so successful.

“The group complements each other,” Kerr said. “You’ve got the playmaking of B.P. and Jimmy, the shooting of Moses and Steph, and obviously Draymond anchoring everything. It’s a small group, but pretty dynamic offensively. It’s kind of a modern NBA lineup, but not without its challenges against certain matchups.”

After three quarters, the Warriors led by 38 points (111-73) and Podziemski already had a career high with six 3-point baskets.

The Warriors led 68-44 at halftime with one of their best halves of the season, albeit against a 31-43 Spurs team that’s without 7-foot-3 phenom Victor Wembanyama (blood clot), guard De’Aaron Fox (torn tendon) and coach Gregg Popovich (minor stroke), none of whom will be back before the season ends.

Curry led the Warriors with 11 points on six shots even though he didn’t score 6:20 remained in the first quarter with the Warriors already leading by 13 points. Butler had 10 points and four assists and Green nine points.

About the only negative in the first half was the sight of Jonathan Kuminga taking a hard fall on his tailbone (similar to the one Curry had last week) and leaving with 5:33 left in the first half. Kuminga was ruled out at halftime, but not with a tailbone injury, but right ankle soreness.

The Warriors highest scoring first quarter of the season included 17-for-24 shooting (70.8 percent) coming just one game after opening with a 14-2 deficit against New Orleans. The 44 points was tied for the biggest quarter of the season, equaling that total on Dec. 8 against Minnesota.

Curry scored just two points — and by the time he took (and made) his first shot with 6:20 left and the Warriors already leading 24-11. Butler had 10 points in the quarter and Green nine.

Two games remain on a six-game road trip and both have considerable playoff ramifications.

The Warriors visit Memphis (44-30) Tuesday night, with the Grizzlies playing their second game after abruptly firing six-year coach Taylor Jenkins and replacing him with interim coach Tuomas Iisalo. Memphis is currently in the No. 5 position in the Western Conference.