Dominating when a picture of health
With core from past 2 titles together again, winning is easy
The Warriors might boast the most loaded roster in the NBA, but even they are vulnerable to injuries. Over the past six weeks, as it endured a rash of minor ailments, Golden State hardly looked like a prohibitive championship favorite.
In their 110-93 win over the Grizzlies on Monday night at Oracle Arena, the Warriors made one thing certain: They’re still quite daunting when healthy. In its first game since Oct. 26 with its top six players available, Golden State showcased its collective powers, pulling away in the second quarter to cruise to its sixth victory in seven games.
“Wow, that’s a long time,” guard Klay Thompson said when informed of the 21-day period the team weathered without at least one of its core players. “It feels amazing. Period. It feels amazing. Period. Whoa. That’s awesome.”
It didn’t help Memphis that point guard Mike Conley Jr., who, in his 12th NBA season, is making a strong bid for his first All-Star appearance, was sidelined by a sore left hamstring. Without Conley to stabilize their offense, the Grizzlies had little counter-punch for Golden State’s 32-16 blitz in the second quarter.
More important than the Warriors’ margin of victory was just how businesslike they appeared. In addition to committing only 10 turnovers, Golden State made 24 of its 27 foul shots.
Kevin Durant (23 points), Stephen Curry (20 points, seven rebounds) and Thompson (16 points) lived up to their pedigrees. In another do-everything performance, Draymond Green (eight points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals) continued to quiet concerns about his recent toe injury. Jonas Jerebko chipped in 16 points off the bench on four three-pointers.
Along the way, Curry became the fifth player in franchise history to pass the 15,000-point plateau. It was fitting that his inclusion in that ultra-exclusive club came on a deep threepointer in transition midway through the second quarter.
“He’s one of those guys who puts in the work every single day and produces,” Durant said of Curry. “That 15,000, that’s something I’m sure he expected out of himself when he came into the league. But to actually accomplish it, that just shows how hard he works and how dedicated he is to the game.”
In many ways, Monday’s win was the type of egalitarian display head coach Steve Kerr prefers. The Warriors were relentless switching off screens as they held the Grizzlies to 7-for-25 from three-point range. After taking a 23-point lead into halftime, Golden State was not threatened.
That it was finally healthy was surely a factor. With Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston back from minor injuries, the Warriors had their entire core from their past two championship runs.
In recent weeks, as it followed up a 10-1 start by dropping nine of 19 games, Golden State was nagged by health issues. Without the likes of Curry and Green for extended stretches, Kerr was forced to get creative with his lineups. The mish-mashed groups made it tough for players to find much of a rhythm.
Little more than a third of the way through the season, the Warriors are beginning to coalesce in a manner they haven’t since early November. The big question now is when center DeMarcus Cousins will return from his torn left Achilles tendon. During his pregame news conference Monday, Kerr conceded that Cousins isn’t close after practicing in Santa Cruz for the third time in a week.
Golden State is in no rush. With four months until the playoffs, it can continue to settle into a groove as it prepares for Cousins’ return.
Because when he joins the fray, the Warriors must make some key changes. It would only help if they can stay healthy in the meantime.
“It helps out second unit so much having Shaun and Andre out there healthy, especially for our young guys,” Thompson said. “They can plug them in wherever. It just helps our flow so much.”