Steph, the victor in the battle between the divorced ‘Splash Brothers’, originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – No figurative fratricide could be sweeter than Tuesday night at Chase Center, where both brothers embraced at the end.

Stephen Curry had saved the faltering Warriors, surviving old defense partner Klay Thompson’s revenge attempt.

The Warriors earn the 120-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, with “Splash Brother” Steph getting the W and “Splash Brother” Klay getting the L. Literally.

“We did our pregame scout,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, “and we went through the matchups and it’s almost surreal to say, ‘Steph, you got Klay.’ And Steph smiled as soon as he saw the matchups.

From 2011-2012 through 2023-2024, Steph and Klay stood side by side in the backcourt, bisecting opposing defenses, going to five straight All-Star games together and going to five straight NBA Finals together . “Splash Brothers” on the field, blood brothers in life.

And now on either side. Steph finished with 37 points to shut down the Mavericks in the fourth quarter. Klay finished with 22 points, including a pair of three-pointers that he was particularly pleased with.

The game, like the evening, had the kind of cinematic flourishes you’d expect from a great movie. An exciting start, with the pregame ceremony celebrating Klay’s first return to the Bay Area, this time as a lovable opponent. An adored main character in Steph. Bodies falling to the ground, only to rise again. A sold-out crowd, wearing white captain’s caps in Klay’s honor, was on its feet in the final minutes. Nerves bounce off walls.

“It was certainly an unforgettable evening,” said Steph. “Even from July, when Klay decided to go to Dallas, when we got to training camp and he wasn’t there, tonight was kind of slow for everyone because it looked so different for us, Klay in a new uniform.

“Granted, we won, so I can say this. But I couldn’t imagine this going any other way, where he played well, the crowd got a great show, it went over the line. Can’t really draw it any better. Some special memories to reflect on with the 13 years he was here and the four championships and everything we achieved. And then turn the page to where we are now.”

So much happened in the first 45 minutes, and there was plenty of it, with nine lead changes and each team building double-digit advantages and losing. And it was just a prelude to a finale for the ages.

A Klay 3-pointer gave Dallas a 110-105 lead with 5:17 to go, prompting Kerr to call a timeout in hopes of restoring order. The Mavericks couldn’t slow the lead, pushing their lead to seven 44 seconds later, sending a wave of fear through the crowd.

When a 3-pointer from De’Anthony Melton pulled the Warriors back within four minutes with 3:51 left, Dallas bagman Daniel Gafford responded by sinking in a floater to cut the lead to six, 114-110, with 3:29.

Klay never scored again. The Mavericks made one more field goal, a three-pointer, which was just a cyclone fence against the tsunami created by Steph. He single-handedly outscored the Mavericks 12-3 in the final 3:10, attempting four field goals, making all four and adding two free throws.

“I’ve been looking at this for a long time,” Kerr said of Steph’s finish. “It never gets old. It’s incredible to watch him. Really and truly. You just think every shot is going in. He loves it. He loves the moment.”

The comeback was complete and Steph won the match in a match that clearly had special meaning. Klay remained standing, but disappointed by the defeat.

“The guy got excited and took some ridiculous shots,” Klay said. “And being on the other side sucks.”

Steph was, well, proud and grateful.

“That’s my husband,” Steph said. ‘That’s my friend. I’ve been my mutt for 13 years, so there’s a lot of history. You’ll have a lot of back and forth. Some of it was competitive. Some of it was fun.

“Luckily we were able to concentrate on the match. Just hoop and compete. It was definitely a surreal night.”

When the final buzzer sounded, Steph and Klay shared a hug unlike any other. From them then came a triumphant tandem, drenched in champagne, posing for photos capturing the greatness of the Golden State dynasty they shared as founders.

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