warriors game day sights & sounds and recap vs spurs (Photo: @traviscano Instagram account)
ORACLE ARENA, OAKLAND, CA — Another visit by the short-staffed San Antonio Spurs, who intentionally sat Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and listed the reason as “rest” on the official lineup sheet, another energy-less beginning for the Golden State Warriors and subsequent loss.
The Warriors Junior Jam Squad was certainly ready to perform, as they got in the bowels of #Roaracle. Meanwhile, as he awaited the Dubs players to arrive for shootaround, assistant coach Brian Scalabrine shot around with his two daughters, then rebounded for Andrew Bogut. Stephen Curry would make his entrance shortly thereafter, after saying hello to a friend and chatting him up in the locker room tunnel.
Meanwhile in the visiting locker room “Professor” Gregg Popovich, head coach of the Spurs, gave an off-the-record impromptu session to all the national writers, plus Warriors color announcers Jim Barnett (TV) and Tom Tolbert (radio). We also passed by Kawhi Leonard and caught Yahoo’s Marc Spears catching up with Tony Parker.
IN-GAME
The Warriors’ starters, with the exception of Curry, came out flat again. David Lee bricked layups and Bogut made bad passes and was generally passive on offense. Harrison Barnes struggled again and ended the game two for his last nineteen from the field. Klay Thompson was still finding his rhythm.
At the end of the first quarter, the Warriors had given up another 30-plus-point opening act. The Spurs were up 32-22 and the Golden State bench wasn’t doing much to eat into that lead. Curry led the Dubs with 9 points.
The team got their act together in the second half. The starters came back in and atoned for their bad play, cutting the lead at halftime to 50-47. By then Curry was up to 15 points and Thompson got into a groove and added 9 points.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russ Wilson was spotted in the crowd and subsequently posted a photo of Curry, saying: “Watching my boy Stephen Curry ball out makes me want to lace up and get out there! #NeverSayNever”.
As the Warriors rallied, Lee was the recipient of a couple nice assists and emphatically dunked the finishes.
Jermaine O’Neal led the otherwise-lackluster bench with some energy inside, but various calls and non-calls by the refs got under his skin as well, as O’Neal picked up a technical foul.
At the end of three quarters, the Spurs were pulling away. It was Spurs 76, Warriors 69. By the end of the game, the Spurs had dragged it to a double-digit and insurmountable lead. The Warriors eventually lost, 99-90. Curry had 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Bogut added 17 rebounds, but that went for naught as Tiago Splitter countered with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
POST-GAME
After the game, CSN Bay Area’s Monte Poole asked coach Mark Jackson why the Warriors started out slow, after rarely showing this early-season trait after the All-Star Break.
“The pace they play at is different than anybody else,” Jackson replied.
In the locker room, O’Neal said that the Spurs are “the only team in the league where all five positions…you turn away for a second and look back, and they’re gone…you can’t really key in on one guy.”
The Warriors have five days off, then play the Memphis Grizzlies next Friday, March 28th.
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