This is a continuation of the halftime recap of the Golden State Warriors at the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs took a commanding 57-38 lead into the third quarter.
3RD QUARTER: Kawhi Turns Chef Curry’s Spices Bland
For the third straight quarter, the Warriors got off on the right foot as Andrew Bogut got an alley oop dunk assisted by Klay Thompson.
Stephen Curry then made an array of shots: a step-back over the switched Matt Bonner, assisted by Bogut, another step-back on Bonner from about 22 feet, a dribble-and-pop trey from the top over two Spurs, a layup after drawing a charge from Tony Parker while niftily getting around a high pick by Tim Duncan, and another splash from downtown thanks to a high screen from Bogut.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich called timeout as his lead waned to 67-53 with 8:17 to play in the third.
“Pop” put Kawhi Leonard on Curry and Leonard collected two more steals, immediately on a jump pass by Draymond Green, which resulted in a turnaround bankshot by Duncan over Bogut, and later a bad pass by Curry, resulting in Kawhi slamming home a run-out dunk.
In between those two big defensive plays, Leonard snuffed out any attempts by the Warriors to gain momentum. Kawhi had an iso post on Andre Iguodala that he drove into the lane and made a bucket on. After two straight treys by Iguodala, Leonard drove in again and drew an and-one on the helping Harrison Barnes.
But Leonard’s steal on Curry, Kawhi’s 7th of the game, put the Spurs back up by twenty, 79-59, with 4:53 to go.
After that, Green did what he could to try and buoy the Warriors. He got a bucket inside, then after Manu Ginobili lost the ball, Draymond drove in, shot too hard, but got his own putback, then drew a rare offensive post-up five-second call on Duncan.
However, Barnes missed another open trey and Curry started limping. There was 2:25 remaining, the Warriors were down 83-65, and things were looking grim after Draymond drove in again but drew no whistle, Steph missed a trey, Green missed one as well, and Corey Joseph snuck past Curry and received a touchdown pass from Ginobili.
The margin was back up in the twenties as Green missed again down low to end the quarter. San Antonio took an 89-67 lead into the final frame. Draymond was 2-for-11 and Klay 3-for-11 from the field.
4TH QUARTER: Make That Two Warriors Limping
With Curry limping at the end of the third after either bumping into Leonard on a baseline cut (knee-on-knee?) or the resultant curl into Barnes setting the pick (charlie-horse?), Kerr began to wave the white flag even as the bench unit — without the suspended Shaun Livingston — took the floor.
Leandro Barbosa made a couple patented left-baseline drives, but Marco Belinelli swished a left wing triple as Justin Holiday slipped and Ginobili drilled a catch-and-shoot trey from Boris Diaw. The Spurs’ lead reached 99-73 with 6:48 remaining.
After that, Barbosa closed out at the point position along with Holiday, Barnes, James Michael McAdoo, and Festus Ezeli, who had a nice dunk off an offensive rebound of a Holiday miss.
Barnes finally broke his game-long drought as he swished a right baseline jumper assisted by Barbosa, but of greater concern was Ezeli, who limped off the court as the buzzer sounded and the game ended with the score of 107-92.
Leonard led all scorers with 26 points, Duncan had 19, and Danny Green 18 on 4 treys. Curry led the Warriors with 24 points 9-for-17 field, 5-for-10 downtown, 6 assists, but 4 turnovers. Klay was just 3-for-11, 0-for-3 beyond the arc. Draymond was 2-for-11, but still had 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Bogut had 10 points, 7 rebounds. Barbosa had 12 off the bench, Iguodala 10.
The Warriors, who got their winning streak ended at 12, will fly to New Orleans and face the Pelicans in two nights.
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