NBA – Led by 23 points in the first half, the Warriors passed a 75-40 to the Blazers following the break to grab fifth place in the West (123-105)!
With the exception of a 5-0 to start the second quarter, the Warriors continue their way of the cross. They lose six balls, miss ten of their first fifteen shots, and they see Jerami Grant punctuate a 22-8 which pushes the gap to +23 (63-40)! It takes an 8-2 from Golden State at the end of the half to return to the locker room under the bar of 20 units (65-48).
Steve Kerr’s men return to the field with very different intensity and intentions. Like Jordan Poole, they attack the circle relentlessly while Draymond Green raises the tone on the other side. Behind 24 points from the Poole – Thompson duo, they finished the third quarter with a devastating 33-10 to take a five-point lead (87-82)!
Jordan Poole continues his festival, Donte DiVincenzo goes into a box on Damian Lillard, and the Warriors go to +11 in a Chase Center in heaven (99-88). KO standing, the Blazers have no answer and see the gap swell.
Chauncey Billups’ men squandered an opportunity to reclaim tenth place as the Warriors chained a third victory and benefited from defeats from all of their direct opponents to move up to fifth in the West. Thursday, they challenge the Clippers who have still not won with Russell Westbrook.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Damian Lillard, public enemy number 1. 48 hours following his 71 points once morest Houston, the Warriors began the meeting with a mission: to prevent Damian Lillard from continuing his momentum. On the first possession, Golden State was in the 1-2-2 zone, on the second they sent a two-man catch. The Portland star let the game come to him. His teammates made Golden State’s defensive picks pay with a 4/9 from 3-point range and a permanent circle attack. Maybe Steve Kerr would have been satisfied with this result if Lillard hadn’t caught fire… The Blazers point guard chose his shots with precision. He only needed a few centimeters to hit twice from distance. He attacked the circle in transition, and he went looking for unobvious fouls to find the way to free throws. He sat with 15 points in 9 minutes of play in the first quarter and the Blazers at +14!
– Nightmarish first half for Golden State. 11 loose balls, 40% on shots, and 31% from 3-pointers for the Warriors, who also saw the Blazers finish the half on 50% on shots and 42% from 3-pointers. More than the numbers, it was their lack of intensity and rigor that jumped out in this duel once morest a direct opponent in the race for the “play-in” in the West. The Warriors started the game in slow motion once morest the Blazers with the fangs.
– From -23 to +18! After the nightmare of the first half, the Warriors played like a dream, or rather the way Steve Kerr wanted, in the second half. Facing the Blazers with no real circle protection, Golden State attacked their opponent’s racquet on every possession. Jonathan Kuminga’s teammates finished with 40 points in the key following the break which also opened up their 3-point opportunities. On the other side, they went into strict box on Damian Lillard. Cut off from its master to play, the attack of the Blazers took on water, scoring only 40 points in the second half.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Jordan Poole – Klay Thompson. Transparent in the first half, Golden State’s fullback awoke following the break to turn the game around. Poole scored 17 of his 29 points there, while adding 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Thompson planted 16 of his 23 points there at 8/11 on shots, following missing 9 of his 10 shots in the first half.
✅ Donte DiVincenzo – Draymond Green. Both players set the tone for the Warriors defense in the second half. DiVincenzo was masterful in the box on Lillard while Green took care, as usual, of everything else. DiVincenzo also finished with 21 points on the clock, while Green came close to a triple-double (12 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals).
✅ ⛔Damian Lillard. After his 71 points, the Blazers point guard scored 19 of his 25 points in the first half and looked unplayable for the Warriors. Against all odds, he was boxed, literally and figuratively, by Donte DiVincenzo and mightn’t stop Golden State’s comeback.
✅ ⛔ Straw Grant. Author of 14 of his 24 points in the first half, he also disappeared in the second half. He finished the match at 5/17 on shots.
⛔ Drew Eubanks. Holder in the absence of Jusuf Nurkic, the pivot of the Blazers was transparent in defense, unable to put the lid on the assaults of Golden State in the second half.
THE FOLLOWING
Golden State (32-30) : reception of the Clippers on Thursday.
Portland (29-32) : reception of the Pelicans on Wednesday.
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