This is a continuation of the halftime recap of the Golden State Warriors at the San Antonio Spurs.
The game was tied, 35-35, at halftime.
3rd Quarter – Highlights Galore, Pace Speeds Up A Bit
The Warriors’ third quarter got off to an inauspicious start, as LaMarcus Aldridge hit two fade-aways…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…then both Stephen Curry…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…and Klay Thompson…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…committed turnovers.
To make matters worse, Curry missed an open three of a curl…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…and Kawhi Leonard got past both Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut with this emphatic slam that put the Spurs up, 45-37, with 8:50 remaining…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
But things finally picked up for the Warriors after Leonard missed a jump hook and Curry brought the ball up and pulled from distance:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
The Draymond Green found Bogut for a finger roll:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Steph was in rhythm, even hitting this crazy shot after the Spurs got whistled for a foul on the ground:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Curry hit two floaters…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…then hit a catch-and-shoot triple off a curl…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…then got an and-one versus Danny Green down the left side of the lane:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Golden State turned an eight-point deficit into a four-point lead at that point, up 61-57, but Kevin Martin got a left corner triple and at the end of three quarters, the Warriors were up 62-61, but it would have been 65-61 if Andre Iguodala had let Steph catch the rebound after Patty Mills bricked a triple from the top, because Curry banked home a three-quarter-court bomb:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
4th Quarter – Dissecting The Spurs
Barnes got the final frame started alongside the bench unit, which included Ian Clark and Marreese Speights, with pizzazz, as the #BlackFalcon made appearance, fouled at the rim by Boban Marjanovic:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
But Marjanovic came back strong, with an “and-one” on a dunk, fouled from behind by Livingston, then also an inside bucket.
However, Barnes hit a catch-and-shoot three after Kyle Anderson missed over the smaller Clark, Clark provided great defense in the process, forcing Anderson into a banker that drew only glass, and Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich called timeout as the Warriors held a 68-65 lead with 9:38 to go.
Marjanovic got another dunk, but later Kevin Martin lost the ball to Clark, outlet to Barnes, and Harrison got fouled on the finger-roll attempt by Mills.
Speights added free throws after deflecting an inside try by Marjanovic, then after Tony Parker missed a jumper, Klay swished a right-wing three on a catch from Livingston to give the Warriors their biggest lead, 76-69, with 6:56 left.
Martin answered with a leaner, Livingston answered that with a left block turnaround over Parker, and Aldridge got a spin move to go past Speights, and Kerr called timeout with 5:53 remaining and the Warriors still up, 78-73.
After the timeout, Golden State eventually got a baseline inbound and Curry went high to Green at center-court, with Draymond making a great save, resulting in Steph making a tremendous runner:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
David West lost the ball to Curry and Steph found Klay for the fast break two-handed dunk! The Warriors’ lead was now 82-73 and the Spurs were running out of time, with 5:07 to play.
But Aldridge was the bellweather again for San Antonio as he drained two straight jumpers, and Kerr took another timeout with 3:17 to go, the Warriors up, 84-77.
Out of the timeout, Thompson managed to find a lane down the middle for a pretty finger roll, Leonard missed twice after beating Barnes but getting help from Draymond, and Curry weaved through the Spurs defense, for an impressive layup to put Golden State back up by eleven, 88-77, with 2:23 left.
Kawhi answered from the left side with an alley-oop finger roll, but after Iguodala tapped out a missed three by Barnes, Curry dissected the San Antonio defense once more, going into the teeth, back out, and back in for a scoop high off the board, initiated outside the lane.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
That kept the pressure on the Spurs, 90-79, with just 1:35 remaining.
After Martin hit two free throws on a reverse layup fouled by Curry, the Warriors couldn’t get anything going on their next possession and Kerr called timeout as the shotclock waned to 4.6.
Livingston’s jumper went in and out, and Leonard duped Green into three free throws from beyond the arc. Kawhi’s free throws brought the Spurs back to 90-84 with 54.8 ticks to play.
Iguodala missed a catch inside against smothering defense, and Leonard found a lane to a dunk as the Warriors defended the arc. With 20.7 seconds to go, Golden State’s lead was cut to 90-86.
Draymond took a twenty-second timeout with 20.7 seconds left, unable to get a clean inbound from the Spurs’ baseline, and on the ensuing side-out, Curry got the catch off a screen from Green and was immediately fouled by Parker, although both Parker and Popovich were more looking not to foul at that moment and try to trap:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
After some fruitless arguing from Popovich, Curry canned both free throws and the game was well in hand for the Warriors, 92-86, with just 20 seconds remaining.
Iguodala deflected a Danny Green triple, got the ball upcourt to Steph, who dribbled out the clock, and the Warriors (72-9) tied the ‘96 Chicago Bulls with the most wins in a regular season in NBA history.
Curry led all scorers with 37 points on 13-for-22 field, 4-for-9 downtown, and 5 assists, while Klay added 14 points, 6 rebounds, and Iguodala had 7 rebounds off the bench.
Aldridge led the Spurs with 24 points on 11-for-18 shooting and 10 rebounds, while Leonard had 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Golden State has the opportunity to break the record and notch their 73rd win of the season in three nights against the Grizzlies at home at Oracle Arena.
(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via @ldubb41)
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
