Warriors Sink the Nets (December 22nd Repost)
With the team set to embark on a
road-trip of three games in four days, and All-Star Power Forward Draymond
Green taking a brief leave of absence due to the birth of his child, the Golden
State Warriors (25-4) entered the Barclays Center on Thursday evening with
every excuse to "play down" to their sub-par opponent, the Brooklyn
Nets (7-20). And unfortunately, in the first half of action, Golden State did
just that.
Prior to the contest (on "Warriors Pregame Live"), analyst Garry St. Jean had proclaimed that the team must have "defensive focus" in the absence of Draymond Green, and Warriors' Insider Monte Poole urged the team to "get a lead and keep it going". Unfortunately, neither of these "Keys to the Game" came to fruition for Golden State in the early-going.
Midway through the first quarter, the Nets had already built a 20-12 advantage on a performance of 8-of-14 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Warriors' Shooting Guard (and offensive focal point) Klay Thompson opened ice-cold, dropping in only 1-of-5 attempts.
Nevertheless, by the end of the opening frame, the contest had turned into an unquestionably high-flying affair, with Brooklyn maintaining a slim 34-33 lead. For the Nets, Bojan Bogdanović and Brook Lopez were leading the charge offensively, tallying 10 points apiece.
However, Brooklyn refused to be satisfied with this miniscule advantage, opening the second frame on an impressive 9-0 run, and increasing Golden State's deficit to double-digits. Clearly, the Warriors were lacking the interior defensive presence of their absent Power Forward, Draymond Green.
As the halftime horn sounded to send both teams to their respective locker rooms, Brooklyn held a rather shocking 65-49 advantage. At the half, Brook Lopez had tallied 23 to lead the way for the Nets, whereas (surprisingly enough) Zaza Pachulia proved to be the standout performer for the Warriors, posting a line of 10 points and 8 rebounds in his 11 minutes of play.
In most situations, a 16-point halftime disadvantage in hostile territory would be too much to overcome. However, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant running the fast-break, nearly anything seems possible. The Warriors exploded for a wild 24-5 run in the third period of play, dramatically altering the flow of the game. In these 12 minutes, Golden State would swing the scoreboard from a formidable 49-65 disadvantage to a surprising 88-84 advantage.
And in the final period of play, both the Warriors' experience and sheer will would trump the youthful determination of the pesky Nets. Golden State expanded their lead even further in the latter stages of play, eventually obtaining an impressive 117-101 victory.
For the Warriors, key contributors would include Kevin Durant (26 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists), Klay Thompson (23 points), and Zaza Pachulia (15 points and 14 rebounds).
Meanwhile, Brook Lopez (28 points and 8 rebounds) and Jeremy Lin (10 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists) would prove to be standout performers in a losing effort for the downtrodden Nets.
Brooklyn will look to rebound tomorrow evening in Cleveland, whilst Golden State seeks to further their winning streak in Detroit.
Prior to the contest (on "Warriors Pregame Live"), analyst Garry St. Jean had proclaimed that the team must have "defensive focus" in the absence of Draymond Green, and Warriors' Insider Monte Poole urged the team to "get a lead and keep it going". Unfortunately, neither of these "Keys to the Game" came to fruition for Golden State in the early-going.
Midway through the first quarter, the Nets had already built a 20-12 advantage on a performance of 8-of-14 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Warriors' Shooting Guard (and offensive focal point) Klay Thompson opened ice-cold, dropping in only 1-of-5 attempts.
Nevertheless, by the end of the opening frame, the contest had turned into an unquestionably high-flying affair, with Brooklyn maintaining a slim 34-33 lead. For the Nets, Bojan Bogdanović and Brook Lopez were leading the charge offensively, tallying 10 points apiece.
However, Brooklyn refused to be satisfied with this miniscule advantage, opening the second frame on an impressive 9-0 run, and increasing Golden State's deficit to double-digits. Clearly, the Warriors were lacking the interior defensive presence of their absent Power Forward, Draymond Green.
As the halftime horn sounded to send both teams to their respective locker rooms, Brooklyn held a rather shocking 65-49 advantage. At the half, Brook Lopez had tallied 23 to lead the way for the Nets, whereas (surprisingly enough) Zaza Pachulia proved to be the standout performer for the Warriors, posting a line of 10 points and 8 rebounds in his 11 minutes of play.
In most situations, a 16-point halftime disadvantage in hostile territory would be too much to overcome. However, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant running the fast-break, nearly anything seems possible. The Warriors exploded for a wild 24-5 run in the third period of play, dramatically altering the flow of the game. In these 12 minutes, Golden State would swing the scoreboard from a formidable 49-65 disadvantage to a surprising 88-84 advantage.
And in the final period of play, both the Warriors' experience and sheer will would trump the youthful determination of the pesky Nets. Golden State expanded their lead even further in the latter stages of play, eventually obtaining an impressive 117-101 victory.
For the Warriors, key contributors would include Kevin Durant (26 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists), Klay Thompson (23 points), and Zaza Pachulia (15 points and 14 rebounds).
Meanwhile, Brook Lopez (28 points and 8 rebounds) and Jeremy Lin (10 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists) would prove to be standout performers in a losing effort for the downtrodden Nets.
Brooklyn will look to rebound tomorrow evening in Cleveland, whilst Golden State seeks to further their winning streak in Detroit.
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