KINGS OF THE 3RD QUARTER
Warriors opponents didn’t need to worry during pregame introductions this season, even as Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and their fellow All-Stars purposefully trotted onto the court.
No, the time for foes to fret was the end of halftime, when the Warriors casually and haphazardly sauntered out of their locker room — poised for another relentless, signature thirdquarter blitz.
The numbers were staggering. In winning postseason series against the Spurs, Pelicans, Rockets and Cavaliers, the Warriors scored 12 more points than their opponents did in the first quarter. They were plus-14 in the second quarter,
plus-153 in the third and plus-21 in the fourth.
The disparity was especially striking in the Western Conference finals against Houston, which pushed the Warriors to seven games. Golden State was minus-16 in the first quarter, minus-15 in the second, plus-68 in the
third and plus-26 in the fourth.
This is not merely a postseason phenomenon, either. In the regular season and playoffs combined, the Warriors were plus-8 in the first quarter, plus-135 in the second, plus-524 in the
third and plus-17 in the fourth.
So, did head coach Steve Kerr channel his inner Knute Rockne and deliver stirring, impassioned halftime speeches? Did emotional leader Draymond Green loudly chastise his teammates in the locker room?
Or did Curry and Co. return to the court with renewed calm and sharpened focus, needing those 15 minutes to simply breathe deeply and remember they are the almighty Warriors, masters of the hoops kingdom?
Kerr suggested the first half often became a “feeling-out process,” as his team tried to figure out what works best against that night’s opponent. Then, if the Warriors weren’t playing well, their competitive desire kicked in and they started clicking.
Another factor: They frequently cranked up their defense in the third quarter, no doubt in the wake of fresh reminders from Kerr and his assistants.
“I also think teams tend to play really hard against us from the beginning,” Kerr said before the Finals. “We’ve been the hunted the last few years. They’re excited to play us, and they come out on fire defensively. That takes a lot out of them, and in the second half, they wear down.”
Curry naturally led the way. He shot 51 percent from three-point land in the third quarter during the regular season, much better than his efficiency in the first (36 percent), second (40) or fourth (36) quarters.
Or check out the disparity in Curry’s numbers during the West finals. He shot 61 percent on threes in the third quarter against the Rockets — and no better than 35 percent in any other quarter.
Assistant coach Bruce Fraser, who works with Curry virtually every day, traced this trend to halftime adjustments designed to create more space for all Warriors shooters. Another salient factor: Curry’s perpetual motion without the ball.
“I think he wears guys down, honestly, especially in a playoff series,” Fraser said. “He runs a lot.”
This stretched beyond Curry, of course. All the Warriors habitually raised their level of play in the third quarter this season, routinely turning taut games into rollicking routs.
Game 4 of the Finals offered a perfect example. The Warriors led 61-52 at halftime, so the Cavs remained within striking distance. And then Golden State opened the third by scoring six quick points — Klay Thompson floater, Curry jumper, JaVale McGee tip-in — and suddenly the lead was 15.
By quarter’s end, the Warriors led 86-65. They cruised home from there, NBA champs once again — and undisputed kings of the third quarter.