Warriors Game Day: Sights & Sounds From Staples Center – Golden State Too Happy Heading Into Game 2, Blown Out (Photo: @sirrichardnielsen Instagram account)
STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA — After leveraging the foul trouble of Blake Griffin in Game 1 into a crucial victory on the road, effectively gaining homecourt advantage, the Golden State Warriors got shellacked last night in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers, 138-98.
With 26 turnovers, the main issue was carelessness with the basketball and, as has been the swan song all season long, inexperience and general irresponsibility of yet another advantage gained. You could sense it happening since yesterday’s practice on through today’s shootaround and pregame warm-ups.
And yet, none of the Warriors had ever been through that before, at least not in recent memory and certain not with this group of guys.
Naturally, they were happy, perhaps a little too overjoyed, about winning Game 1, that refocusing for Game 2 was all but impossible. Imagine yourself a picture of a focused, non-smiling Tim Duncan and write a big red “X” over it.
However, it is all part of the process and Duncan might be a special case in that he was brought right into a winning tradition with the David Robinson-led San Antonio Spurs. Duncan had a shortened “process”.
At shootaround this morning, there were plenty of smiles going around, as there should be with a team that has only tasted the playoffs once before.
Harrison Barnes described and praised DeAndre Jordan‘s shot-blocking ability, almost joking about it, while David Lee told us that the team knew in Game 1 that, with the poor 12-1 start, the Warriors wouldn’t be giving up leads on a 12-to-1 ratio.
Oh, the irony!
Jordan would tally not one, not two, not three, not four, but five blocked shots, and the Warriors would end up yielding nearly four times the ratio of 12-to-1.
Coach Mark Jackson joked about Andre Iguodala‘s suggestion that Hilton Armstrong introduced a particular piece of strategy that led to success against the Clippers’ trap.
Throughout this season, levity like that has only been witnessed after wins, although perhaps only the Spurs could carry an air of seriousness after winning a playoff game as if they lost. Again, part of the process. Even Jackson is part of that process.
Even the Bay Area’s media haven’t been through a Game 1 upset win since the 2006-07 “We Believe” team that stunned the Dirk Nowitzki-led Dallas Mavericks. Jackson and players were never pressed about having a letdown for Game 2.
It took veteran and award-winning Los Angeles Times writer Bill Plaschke to finally ask that question deep into the pre-game press conference with Jackson, a question that Jackson shot down rather than taking the high road.
“We didn’t come here to win one game,” Jackson said, “I understand that mentality, but that’s not our mentality. We respect our opponent. We respect their talent, but we’re not surprised where we are.”
On paper, the sound bite might look harmless, but it was a defiant, focused response from Jackson, one you would expect as he is very protective of his team and does not like to show weakness.
The only problem was, it was the only indication of any focus ever since the buzzer sounded from Game 1, and it was happening right before tipoff.
Perhaps in 2014-15, assuming the Warriors make the playoffs, continue along the upward-trending path otherwise known as “The Process”, and win a Game 1 of the opening playoff series, they won’t walk into Game 2 as loosey-goosey as they did this, their virgin voyage, ever again.
[NOTE: The following are the remaining sights and sounds from the game.]
PRE-GAME
Barnes shooting around early, while Lee was in the locker room answering questions about Griffin coming into Game 2 with a renewed sense of purpose, saying, “I know I gotta be at my best to win that matchup.”
#DubNation fans Will Settle and Deb Settle at courtside.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers on Jermaine O’Neal: “I guess he went to Germany with Kobe (Bryant)…he was, if not the most important player, close (in Game 1 for the #Warriors).”
Two legends of #NBA broadcasting, Jim Barnett and Ralph Lawler, Clippers play-by-play announcer, courtside.
I noticed that Klay Thompson‘s shoes were really huge, even for a 6’7″ guy. Brian McKnight sang the best national anthem in recent memory. The man has pipes.
IN-GAME
Jamal Crawford added insult to injury by hitting a buzzer-beater. The Clippers led 31-20 and wouldn’t look back. Thompson had 3 fouls by then.
Midway through the second quarter, it was Clippers 52, Warriors 31, with Golden State at 10 turnovers and 11 field goals made. Griffin had 16 of his eventual 35 points.
At halftime, the Clippers owned a growing 26-point lead, 67-41. The oft-slandered-by-Warriors-fans “Flop Sisters” of Chris Paul and Griffin had combined for 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, while the #SplashBrothers only mustered 11 points, 0 rebounds, and 6 assists.
By the end of the third quarter, the onslaught was up to 105-73, Clippers, but at least Stephen Curry had shown a little mettle, scoring 20 points in the period and improving his numbers to 24 points, 8 assists, and just 2 turnovers. Curry was even issued a technical foul for throwing his mouthpiece, although the complaint was justified. He had been fouled at the rim on two sequences not too far apart. One of them, Matt Barnes clothes-lined Curry.
Warriors fan @mcguins managed to work his way down to courtside. “When you’re down 40, there are perks to be had,” McGuins quipped. And with that, I didn’t even bother to post a final score on Instagram.
POST-GAME
“Everybody kind of lost their matchup today, from the starters to the bench,” Lee said.
“Hopefully I can save some money next time,” Curry said of his technical.
Draymond Green remarked, upon hearing the Warriors had now committed 47 turnovers over the past two games, “Ooh, that’s trash. Aw, man.”
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