Klay Thompson scores season-high 54 points in thrilling double OT win over Hawks

SAN FRANCISCO — With the game knotted up and only seconds remaining in double-overtime Monday night, Kevon Looney went after the rebound and rushed to quickly tip in a shot.

He missed. But in the split second he realized no one was celebrating or panicking just yet, he went up and tried one more time.

This time, the ball went in, clinching the Warriors’ 143-141 thrilling double-overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Looney notched his fourth double-double of the season with 20 rebounds and 14 points, and Klay Thompson poured in a season-high 54 points while knocking down 10 3s as the Warriors remained undefeated during the homestand, extending their season-best win streak to five games.

The Hawks rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit and led the entire fourth until the Warriors tied it with a half-second left in regulation. A blocked Jordan Poole 3-point attempt landed in the hands of Donte DiVincenzo, who drained a 3 to send the game into overtime.

The Warriors couldn’t get the job done in the first five minutes of extra play. Thompson hit a 3 with 17.8 seconds remaining to give the Warriors’ a two-point advantage. But Trae Young tied the game again with a pair of free throws to force double-overtime.

The Warriors went on a 7-0 run, capped off by a 3 from Draymond Green to put Golden State up 141-136 with 42 seconds remaining. After Young tied the game up with eight seconds left, Looney tipped in the game-winning basket as time expired.

It was the type of moment every basketball player dreams of making at some point in their career, and for Looney, it was a career first.

Before Monday night, Looney said he never had a walk-off game-winner like that.

His teammates immediately swarmed him, nearly tackling him in the process as gold and blue confetti streamed down from the ceiling. They showered him with praise.

“Everybody was just excited for me and how hard I work,” Looney said after the Warriors’ sixth win since Stephen Curry went down with a shoulder injury last month. “Everybody dreams about getting a game-winner so whenever you have a chance to do that and celebrate with your team, that’s a great moment.”

Playing without six players, including two starters, Thompson stepped up and got the Warriors going in the first half, continuing his trend of strong starts. He scored 16 points in the first quarter and had 22 by the half.

Thompson finished with his second-highest scoring game of his career after going 21-for-39 from the field, including 10-for-21 from 3-point land. He also had eight rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot in nearly 46 minutes.

Poole was the team’s second-highest scorer, finishing with 28 points on 32 shots. Meanwhile, Draymond Green added 13 rebounds and 11 assists to go with two steals, three blocked shots and five points.

The Warriors once again were resilient to pull off another close win. After the game, Warriors vice president of basketball operations and former player Mike Dunleavy Jr. nudged coach Steve Kerr and told him it was payback for the Warriors’ heartbreaking loss in Utah last month — during which they gave up a four-point lead in the game’s final 13 seconds.

“There’s a reason that things are going our way right now, we’re playing tougher, we’re hanging in there and in general, we’re doing a better job not fouling,” Kerr said. “During this winning streak, we’re playing smarter, we’re playing tougher and we’re sticking together.”

The Warriors are now 20-18 on the season and 17-2 in front of their home crowd. They’re tied with the Phoenix Suns for eighth in the congested Western Conference standings.

Thompson said the Warriors are well aware they’re only 4 1/2 games out of first place.

“It’s a long season and it’s about catching fire at the right time,” he said.

Golden State has three games remaining during its current homestand, returning to action Wednesday when the team hosts the Detroit Pistons. After that, the Warriors will welcome the Orlando Magic on Saturday and Phoenix Suns Jan. 10 before hitting the road again.