warriors game day (Photo: Daniel Brusilovsky)
SLEEP TRAIN ARENA, OAKLAND, CA — The Golden State Warriors, who were without starting center Andrew Bogut, blew a 15-point lead, but after Stephen Curry spoke up in a timeout in the 4th quarter, the team responded and closed out the Sacramento Kings, who were also without their starting center in DeMarcus Cousins, 101-92.
We’ll have some sights and sounds after these snippets from the game…
Recap Round-Up
Monte Poole of CSN Bay Area:
Six Warriors scored in double figures, led by David Lee’s 23 points. Klay Thompson had 18 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals as the Warriors (32-22) defeated the Kings for the third consecutive time this season.
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The Warriors opened hot, taking a 10-point lead in the first quarter and shooting a 51.3 percent in the first half. They shot only 28 percent in the third quarter, allowing the Kings to get back into the game.
Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle:
The Warriors didn’t trail during the game’s opening 35:57 and led 65-50 on an Iguodala fastbreak layup 2 1/2 minutes into the third quarter. But as so often happens when these teams meet – nine of the previous 14 had been decided by less than five points or in overtime – Sacramento staged a dramatic comeback.
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Isaiah Thomas scored 12 of his 26 points in the final 6:47 of the third quarter to lead a 21-6 run and gave the Kings their first lead on two free throws that made it 76-75 with 3.1 seconds remaining in the third.
Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group:
The Kings had trailed by as many as 15 points but closed the third quarter on a 9-0 run to take a 76-75 lead, with point guard Isaiah Thomas scoring the last six points during that stretch. The 5-foot-9 Thomas put on a show against the Warriors’ backcourt, finishing with 26 points.
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But Thomas also committed seven of Sacramento’s 21 turnovers, letting the Warriors take advantage even on a night when they were only 3 for 19 from 3-point range.
Sarah Todd of SFBay.ca:
As quickly as Sacramento took the lead, the Warriors reclaimed it, as the Kings committed their 18th turnover early in the fourth.
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Draymond Green became the sixth Warrior in double figures on a quick two-handed jam with 4:48 remaining giving Golden State a 92-84 advantage.
Steve Berman of Bay Area Sports Guy:
That’s right, David. No turnovers. Lee committed one, but the rest of his game was superb — 23 and 11. He also played a huge role in two plays that kept the Kings at bay.
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First, with just over two minutes remaining, Lee saw Andre Iguodala posting up Thomas. The Warriors tried posting Thomas a few too many times in this game, since very few Warriors can score after posting anyone up, even a guy who’s 5′ 10″. But Lee liked what he saw when Iguodala had position. He motioned for the ball to go to Iguodala, and it did within a second or two. Lee floated over to the left elbow, then waited while drifting toward the basket until his man (the perpetually frustrated Jason Thompson) doubled Iguodala, opening up an easy assist for Iguodala and a layup for Lee.
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Travis Outlaw countered with a three to bring the Kings within seven, but Lee came through with the assist on a dunk for Draymond Green. A minute later, Iguodala (who had 13 points in this game and showed tonight that in order to shine offensively he needs to run, run, run) ended it with a three-point play.
Sights & Sounds
PRE-GAME
All the talk was about the trade.
The #Bazemoring era in #DubNation comes to an end. #DubNation, please welcome Alex Smith, er, Steve Blake, to the Bay Area!!
We got a retweet from David Lee‘s better half, Sabina Gadecki, in welcoming fellow new “NBA wife” Kristen Blake:
Welcome to the fam! RT“@LetsGoWarriors: please welcome @KristenBlake2 to the #DubNation family! pic.twitter.com/iyqe16F6tb”
— Sabina Gadecki (@SabinaGadecki) February 20, 2014
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IN-GAME
The Warriors came out strong.
#Warriors 43, #NBAKings 35, Q2, 7:45. #Steezus dunk gives #DubNation its largest lead. #Warriors 59, #NBAKings 50, halftime.
They lost the lead, then gained it back. Earlier in the game, a TV screen capture caught Lee’s surprised look at a call by a referee that he disagreed with.
#NBAKings 76, #Warriors 75, who blow a double-digit lead. Tony Gonzales and Kevin Johnson at the Sleep Train Arena. #Warriors 94, #NBAKings 84, Q4, 2:52. David Lee ________ (fill in the blank)
Incidentally, we felt this was the best answer to the D.Lee fill-in-the-blank:
@LetsGoWarriors thought he got traded to the 76ers
— Aynov Tanaka (@iyaayas1991) February 20, 2014
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Then the Warriors pulled away with some great interior passing. Andre Iguodala put the final nail in the coffin with an and-one layup.
Here was a nice highlight of said interior passing:
Lost in the shuffle was the fact that Stephen Curry had zero turnovers. He also spoke up in the huddle in the 4th quarter, as reported by CSN Bay Area’s sideline reporter, Ric Bucher:
#LetsGoWarriorsLive RT @poormanscommish: Bucher just reported that Curry got in front of the team and was more vocal. http://t.co/kaQRNaMmrq
— LetsGoWarriors (@LetsGoWarriors) February 20, 2014
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#Warriors 101, #NBAKings 92, FINAL. D.Lee 23-and-11. No triple-double, no #HumanTorch mode, just, oh, ZERO turnovers.
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