Warriors: Finally a rout as Golden State smashes Dallas.
Little D in Big D: Big scoring nights offset continued breakdowns in defensive discipline They’ll take it: Warriors avoid worst start since 2009-10 with their first blowout victory
Everything seemed almost perfect, as the Warriors’ shots splashed into the net while showing the kind of defensive discipline reserved for clinics.
As the Warriors have shown so far in the 2017-18 season, though, they have often broken their old habits that once made them great.
The Warriors’ 133-103 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday may have satisfied a bottomline result as Stephen Curry (29 points), Kevin Durant (25), Klay Thompson (21) and Draymond Green (10) stuffed the box score.
After winning two NBA titles in the past three years, however, the Warriors (2-2) have higher aspirations than just avoiding their worst start since opening the 2009-10 season with a 1-3 record and ending a 2-1 record on their trip.
“If we can win two out of three road games every year, we’re doing really well,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “More importantly it’s the development and growth.”
That happened even in garbage time. During a fast break, Warriors rookie Jordan Bell threw the ball off the backboard and slammed it home. Most of Bell’s teammates loved it. Kerr wasn’t thrilled about it. And Dallas coach Rick Carlisle hated it.
Kerr tried to apologize to Carlisle, but he walked right past Kerr after the game. On the subsequent timeout, Kerr told Bell to prepare for any backlash.
“People are not going to like that,” Bell said. “But it’s fun to me.”
The Warriors appeared to have fun. But after storming out to a 40-24 first-quarter lead, the Warriors regressed to where they want to be toward who they currently are. The Mavericks (0-4) stormed back to cut the Warriors’ cushion to 65-62 by exposing things the Warriors lacked on defense. They were outrebounded, 149, while conceding to Dallas a handful of second-chance points (10), points in the paint (16) and 3-pointers (4-of-7).
From there, the Warriors opened the second half with more encouraging signs. En route to a 100-84 cushion entering the fourth quarter.
Though Curry only shot 2-of10 from 3-point range, Curry shot more efficiently inside (7of-15) and from the free-throw line (13-of-13). For the first time entering his ninth NBA season, Curry logged double-digit free-
throw attempts for three consecutive games.
“I have a feeling it’s going to go downhill,” Curry said. “The next game I’m going to miss my first one. So next question.”
Durant proved dominant on nearly every end of the court. He shot 9-of15 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He posted eight rebounds and a block. He dished out six assists.
“Trying to jinx me,” Durant said. “My teammates have been doing a great job of finding me, knocking them down and keep working on them everyday in practice . Hopefully I keep making them.“
While Thompson continued his strong start by shooting 9-of-16 from the field, Green provided more offensive production with a 4-of-8 clip, eight assists and seven rebounds.
So even if the Warriors may lament allowing Dallas to feature doubledigit performers in Wesley Mathews (19), Harrison Barnes (13), J.J. Barea (13), Dirk Nowitzki (11) and Dennis Smith Jr. (10), they played well enough to feature their reserves for most of the final period.
“Tonight was a better effort in cleaning up some of our mistakes,” Kerr said. “But we still have a ways to go.”
PUNISHMENT GIVEN >> Who knew a mouthpiece could become so expensive? Curry found that out the hard way for the second time in two years.
The NBA fined Curry $50,000, saying in a release that Curry threw his mouthpiece “in the direction of a game official” before getting ejected with 43.6 seconds remaining of Saturday’s loss in Memphis.
Curry had drawn a $25,000 for also throwing his mouthpiece that inadvertently hit a fan during Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals against Cleveland. The NBA also fined Warriors forward Andre Iguodala $15,000, adding in a release that he was “verbally abusing a game official.”
“He deserved the fine. Hopefully he won’t do it again,” Kerr said. He then joked, “If he can’t afford the fine, we’ll chip in for him.”
Carlisle joked that President Barack Obama gave Curry a pardon when the two golfed together on Sunday. In reality, the NBA fell short of actually suspending Curry for Monday’s game in Dallas and beyond since the mouthpiece did not hit the official.
“The reaction was definitely a little over the top,” Curry said. “It misrepresents what I am when it comes to a reaction like that. I don’t necessarily think it will be something going forward that you will see.”
Kerr offered a nuanced perspective on Curry’s outburst.
“Everybody is to blame, including me,” Kerr said. “This incident is a good time for me to remind the guys that is symbolic of where we are right now. We’re more frustrated with where are than we are determined.”
HELPING HAND >> Curry admittedly struggling finding the right thing to say. But he hoped his presence helped. Before Monday’s game, Curry met with Mavericks guard Devin Harris and his nephew, 9-yearold Brayden. Their brother, Bruce, died last week from injuries suffered in a car wreck.
“It’s obviously sometimes hard to find the right words to say in that situation,” Curry said. “It’s a tough blow to the family. For him at that age, I can’t imagine what he’s going through. But best thing I can say is lean on his family and to give him that strength to get through this tough time.”
NO ORDINARY FOURSOME
>> On Sunday, Curry went golfing. It wasn’t just a normal round of 18 holes, though. Curry joined his brother, Seth, former President Barack Obama, pro golfer Jordan Spieth, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank and Warriors’ director of player programs Jonnie West