Warriors Game Day: Sights & Sounds From #WarriorsGround – Golden State Demolishes Utah Jazz (Photo: @marciojsanchez Instagram account)
ORACLE ARENA, OAKLAND, CA — The Golden State Warriors demolished the Utah Jazz, 130-102, taking care of a game they should win at home and heading into the stretch run before the playoffs.
PRE-GAME
David Lee did not play. He had been previously listed with a strained right hamstrong. Coach Mark Jackson said that an “MRI showed some nerve inflammation”.
On the other hand, Andrew Bogut recovered from his pelvic contusion.
All the while, Jackson continued to defend his relationship with the front office, namely Joe Lacob, amidst a recent attacks in the media that the management was “dysfunctional“.
IN-GAME
The Warriors got out to an early lead again, 20-11 with 6:22 to go in the first quarter. All five starters scored, led by Stephen Curry‘s 10 points and 4 assists, which included an and-one three-pointer. This clip wasn’t it, but represented how in-rhythm he came out to play.
At the end of the first quarter, Curry had 16 points and 6 assists and the Warriors were up, 35-22.
With 4:37 to go in the first half, Klay Thompson starting clicking as well and was up to 16 points, with the Warriors on top, 52-41. The #SplashBrothers were a combined 7-for-9 on three-ponters.
By halftime it was Warriors 66, Jazz 52, halftime. The bench unit had let the lead slip to as low as five, but Golden State’s starters come back in and did more damage. Curry and Thompson were at a combined 44 points, with Curry at 20 points and 11 assists, with Thompson at 24 points on 5 three-pointers.
By the end of the third quarter, Curry had amassed 31 points and 16 asissts while Thompson had 33 points on 7-for-10 from beyond the arc. It seemed like a final score, but it wasn’t: Warriors 101, Jazz 73.
By the time all was said and done, the final score was 130-102. Six Warriors scored in double-figures. The #SplashBrothers combined for 64 points on 23-for-38 from the field, 12-for-20 from deep.
POST-GAME
At the postgame press conference, Coach Jackson revealed that Curry had been sick during the day.
“I wasn’t even sure he was going to play,” Jackson said, “(At pregame film study) Steph was sitting next to me with his hoodie on his head and it didn’t cross my mind until afterwards somebody told me that he wasn’t feeling well.”
Although the Warriors did not keep the Jazz under 100 points, Bogut said, “Defensively we weren’t that bad, they just got a lot of touchy fouls and free throws. I think they had 30 or 40 free throws. Without that, they probably wouldn’t score 80.”
Andre Iguodala said that it was fun to watch the #SplashBrothers, although he also quipped, “I gotta get mine too! I’m just working myself into a rhythm heading into the playoffs.”
Curry admitted that the offense had lost it’s sync at times.
“The ball movement is pretty high right now,” Curry said, “We’ve had a tendency to get a little stagnant at times and it hasn’t been the case.”
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