The Warriors handed the Spurs their 11th consecutive loss by flirting with the 50% 3-point shooting mark and limiting San Antonio’s free throw trips and overcoming a season-high 24 turnovers.
Defending without fouling has been a major sticking point for Golden State, and a rotational tweak appeared to help the Warriors limit SAS to only 12 foul shots in the game.
The key moments of the game came at the start of the fourth quarter, with Stephen Curry resting off his 11-point third period. Chris Paul, Dario Saric and Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors on a 15-2 blitz that proved decisive.
Their run allowed the Warriors to have enough of a cushion to survive an ugly end to the game that included an and-1, multiple offensive fouls and technical foul on Saric that shaved Golden State’s lead from 18 at one point to four.
Paul finished a team-high +14, Saric dropped 20 points off the bench and Kuminga scored 11 in the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry (35 points) ended the threat with free throws, sealing a 118-112 Warriors (8-9) win. Golden State is now 2-1 in In-Season Tournament group play with one game remaining to qualify for the knockout round.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
I-S-T ish
Friday’s games carried In-Season Tournament ramifications throughout the league, and the Warriors played for stakes, too.
Even if the incentive structure is limited to monetary rewards for the players, the NBA deserves credit for at least trying to manufacture meaningful games before Christmas.
Right as the Warriors-Spurs game began, the Kings secured a victory in Minnesota to earn pole position in Group C. No matter who won that contest, the Warriors went into Friday knowing they needed to beat San Antonio Friday and then also handle Sacramento next Tuesday for a chance at going to Las Vegas for single-elimination Knockout Rounds.
When the bench unit built a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Warriors had a chance to boost their point differential. Golden State brought Curry back on the floor and kept a competitive unit on the court until the end, but the Spurs outplayed them to make it close.
Even if Golden State beats the Kings on Tuesday, they may still need help to get into the Vegas stage. They could be tied with Sacramento and Minnesota atop the group at 3-1, and would need to juice their point differential to make themselves a better wild card candidate.
Any surplus points could come in handy.
A starting lineup change with intent
For the past three games with Draymond Green suspended and everyone else available, the Warriors have started the same five: Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney.
But Friday, on the final night of Green’s suspension, Steve Kerr replaced Paul with wing Moses Moody. A move like that doesn’t happen without substantial consideration.
Paul is still a tremendous player, and he’s having a good season. He played an outstanding game against the Spurs, too. But his fit next to both Curry and Thompson — which is how Golden State has closed games — isn’t always a slam dunk. Particularly defensively.
That trio has outscored opponents by 5.7 points per 100 possessions when they share the court — a strong, if not modest, mark. But it does produce some uncomfortable defensive circumstances. Paul, at this point in his career, should be hidden on weaker offensive players as much as possible. That leaves Curry defending more imposing guards and Thompson often scaling up the positional ladder.
One root cause of Golden State’s now yearslong tendency to foul too much could be because some of their players are left in unfavorable matchups, either against quicker or bigger players. While Kerr described the fouling issue as “undisciplined,” it’s possible there’s something deeper — something less fixable — than a lack of focus at play.
By subbing Paul out for Moses Moody, the Warriors’ five of Moody, Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney had a better shot defensively. Moody started on Wembanyama, forcing a turnover early on.
Hot shooting by the Spurs, often against good defense, allowed San Antonio to win the first six starting lineup minutes, 23 to 17, but Golden State never seriously lagged behind.
The same unit opened the second half and played the Spurs even thanks to a mini Curry takeover. Paul opened the fourth quarter next to Thompson in the backcourt and was clinical leading a 15-2 blitz.
It’s possible the Warriors have no chance to consistently compete defensively without Green. But at least they tried something new. And they won’t be without Green for any longer.
The Wemby Show
Seventy-two minutes before tipoff, Victor Wembanyama stepped onto the court and juggled a basketball with his feet like a soccer player. Moments later, he took form shots in the paint, eventually extending out to the midrange for jumpers. On the other side of the court, Stephen Curry went through his normal, elaborate pregame routine.
On the court at the same time, Curry and Wembanyama. A two-time MVP and a phenom destined for his own brand of greatness.
The expectations are sky-high for the 7-foot-3 rookie, and they should be. But he’s still learning the game at the NBA level, getting a feel for unfamiliar opponents every night. At one point, he didn’t close out tightly enough to Klay Thompson — one of the greatest shooters ever — in the corner. On another play, he passed up an open 3 in transition for a cheeky jump pass that bounced through the baseline; his teammates patted him on the chest afterwards, encouraging him to make the simple play. He dropped a touchdown pass that could’ve gone for a standing dunk on a leakout.
For every misstep, though, were several confident strides forward — sometimes literally. In one transition opportunity, Wembanyama ran like a gazelle, dunking without requiring a single dribble, making the 94-foot court look tiny.
Wembanyama challenged seemingly everything inside and fought for boards. Wembanyama recorded 22 points and eight rebounds overall, with two blocks, a steal (to go with six turnovers). That’s with the Spurs occasionally having trouble making even simple entry passes when the center had mismatches pinned to his back.
Wembanyama is special. This is the worst he’s ever going to be as a pro. But it won’t be his league as long as players like Curry, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo are still around. The sport is in a spectacular place.