Forwards Jackson Rowe and Blake Hinson fueled a 12-0 run late in the fourth quarter to turn Santa Cruz’s five-point deficit into a seven-point lead, and the Warriors held off the host San Diego Clippers for a 92-87 win in NBA G League action Wednesday night.
Rowe tied his career high with 30 points and added eight rebounds and three blocks to lead the Warriors in front of 2,615 fans at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside.
Forward Kevin Knox II, coming off his second 39-point outburst of the season, had 20 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double. Forward Javan Johnson scored 12 points, and Hinson finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
It was an ugly game with a good result for Santa Cruz (7-3), which sits in second place in the Western Conference behind the Stockton Kings (9-2).The Warriors struggled shooting from behind the arc. They shot 17.9% (5 of 28) on 3-point attempts, but still managed to shoot 42.7% (32 of 75) from the field.
The Clippers were off everywhere. They shot 32.7% (33 of 101) from the field.
The teams also committed a combined 35 turnovers.
Forward Braxton Key produced 20 points, 13 rebounds, and four steals for the Clippers (5-5). Guard Jalen Adaway had 18 points and eight rebounds. Guards Kevion Nolan and Garrett Denbow turned in double-digit performances after coming off the bench. They scored 16 points and 10 points, respectively.
The Warriors were again without the services of two-way center Quinten Post, and the Clippers were without some of the firepower they had when they earned a two-game sweep of the host Warriors during the Tip-Off Tournament in December. San Diego had five players on the inactive list, leaving them to suit up nine players.
Santa Cruz hosts the Salt Lake Stars (5-5) at Kaiser Permanente Arena on Friday at 7 p.m.