Poor shooting, a long stretch without a field goal, fouls and turnovers played a major role in the first half for the Golden State Warriors in game four against the San Antonio Spurs. Stephen Curry hit two threes for an early six points and Mark Jackson wisely limited his minutes, Andrew Bogut and Carl Landry each picked up three fouls, Andris Biedrins did provide a lift with his defense and rebounding and Harrison Barnes provided the offense.
Still at halftime trailed by eight. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili each scored 14 points at the break, the one thing that kept the lead down from double-digits, free throw misses.
In the third quarter it was a different Warriors team. Bogut made a huge impact rebounding the basketball and playing tough physical defense. He did pick up his fourth foul and Jackson realizing his importance in the lineup kept him in. Curry got two great looks from beyond the arc and a few minutes later Landry did work on the offensive glass put back a miss, got fouled by Duncan and made the free throw and Golden State took a 52-51 lead.
After a missed jumper by Boris Diaw, Barnes hit a wide open three pushing the lead to four. San Antonio weathered the storm and led by two at the start of the fourth. After a Kawhi Leonard jumper the lead went back to eight. Barnes silenced the run after Landry found him cutting to the hoop for a dunk and he also got fouled and completed the three-point play.
Going to the mismatch on defense, Barnes spun to the left for an easy layup, took his defender again this time for a mid-range jumper. Jarrett Jack then attacked the Spurs defense finding Curry in the corner for three.
Jack who struggled in game three hit three straight jumpers, Klay Thompson who struggled for much of the game then made two key shots with the last one tying the game up at 84. Ginobili missed a three even after getting a great look and with 16 seconds left, it was up to Jack to win it in regulation. He had Tony Parker defending him, settled for a 16 foot step back jumper and missed.
The Warriors dominated in overtime outscoring the Spurs 13-3, including a 9-0 run to start. Bogut won the tip and Jack hit a jump shot, Barnes made two free throws after getting fouled by Parker, the Spurs got an amazing opportunity, yet failed on all three attempts. Leonard started it off by missing a three, Danny Green got fouled by Curry who couldn’t grab the rebound the two missed free throws, Parker missed a three and Leonard missed dunk off an offensive rebound and eventually Thompson wound up getting a steal.
Barnes scored and Curry drove the lane for a layup and got fouled in the process by Duncan. Green then made in interesting by hitting a three with three Warriors defenders jumping out at him and Curry made the play that sealed the game by finding Landry in one of his favorite spots on the floor.
For the Spurs, Ginobili led the way scoring 21 points, Duncan had 19 points and 15 rebounds and Parker chipped in 17. Leading the way for the Warriors, Barnes with 26 points and 10 rebounds, Jack had 24 points and seven rebounds, Curry 22 points and six rebounds and even though Bogut wasn’t a factor offensively he grabbed 18 rebounds.
Game five is on Tuesday night in San Antonio.
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