SAN FRANCISCO – Given their history – the four championships they both captured, the shooting records they both set, the thousands of 3s they both splashed – the moment bordered on surreal.

As the final seconds of the second quarter evaporated, Stephen Curry was guarded by Klay Thompson. On paper, this game, in which the Warriors narrowly defeated the Mavericks 120-117 in their first game of the NBA Cup, was more than just Curry and Thompson. In reality, this evening was about the Splash Brothers.

Curry, who finished with 37 points and nine assists, drove strongly to the right. Thompson, who had 22 points and made six 3-pointers, couldn’t stay ahead. Curry, understanding the advantage, stopped, jumped and threw a wild shot. It was more shot put than a real float. It found net, anyway.

Thompson picked up the error; Curry looked at him. This wasn’t a mean mug. This wasn’t side-eye. As Curry hunched over and tensed, his expression seemed to contain a hint of vitriol. For all the love Thompson received upon his return to Chase Center — and there was a lot of love — Curry’s and-1 served as a reminder of reality.

Curry and Thompson were now obstacles to each other’s success. And, as Curry has proven on countless occasions, sentimentality owns no real estate on the battlefield. The feeling was mutual.

During the winning time, Curry and Thompson both played central roles. With just over five minutes left in regulation, Thompson hit a three-pointer that extended the Mavericks’ lead to five points and forced head coach Steve Kerr to call a timeout.

Curry responded in the ensuing minutes with a midrange jumper, a 3-pointer and a go-ahead finger roll, one that gave the Warriors a 115-114 lead with 1:48 to go. On the ensuing possession, Thompson rattled in a go-ahead 3-pointer. Then, with just under 30 seconds left, Curry hit Dereck Lively II with a series of moves before hitting his fifth 3 of the night.

Night night indeed.

These sequences were two of many instances in which Thompson found himself the center of attention.

On the very first play of the game, as if it were meant to be, Curry and Thompson were played against each other, with the latter posting the former.