The Golden State Warriors’ Andre Iguodala (9) grabs the rebound in the first quarter of Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena in Oakland. The first quarter we looked like deer in the headlights, very disappointing.
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The Golden State team that finished 7-10 to end the season did not show up on Saturday, which is bad news for a San Antonio team missing its best player.
Two summers ago, Warriors guard Klay Thompson made the declaration that he wouldn’t sacrifice his game with the addition of perennial All-Star Kevin Durant.
Golden State outscored San Antonio 40-24 in 16 minutes with its starting lineup on the floor, as it put together a defensive efficiency rating of 71.1.
Worth mentioning is Draymond Green, who nearly had a triple double (12 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds) and was a centerpiece for the Warriors offense and defense. But they sure look not well needing to pick up the slack two days to their first round meeting with the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association playoffs.
Golden State came with the kind of swarming defense it is so used to playing but hadn’t exhibited much lately as rotations were mixed and matched because of injuries and illness. “Pelicans” due to the powerful double-dublu Anthony Davis and 17 assists for Regiona Rondo took Portland home court advantage. I thought we were prepared mentally and physically, but I was mistaken. “I know what to be ready for and I know what to prepare for, so, you know, just being ready for whatever when the day came”.
Here’s what Popovich said about Gay after the game: “I thought he was great. They made shots and they executed and they did what they did”. Warriors’ Stephen Curry makes positive steps in recoveryGolden State has gone without Curry for 16 of the last 17 games as he worked back from another injury to his troublesome right ankle only to sprain the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in his return March 23. “Some were a little bit strong”. A lot of people tend to forget what we’re capable of.
San Antonio couldn’t keep up from the opening tip. Though it might change for Kevon Looney to assume a secondary role over Jordan Bell while Zaza Pachulia was a healthy scratch, McGee stated his case for countering the Spurs’ size in LaMarcus Aldridge (14 points on 5-of-12 shooting). And unless something drastic happens in both situations, the Spurs look destined to go 0-for-2.
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The Warriors took ‘er easy all the way to the finish line this campaign, stalling and then coasting through the final month. He went 5-of-13 from the field and 2-of-6 from three. But at the same time, we’ve got to be smarter. “We had too many emotions”. We are underdogs. We’ve talked about it. “Last few games, we cared”. When Thompson, one of the best shooters in the league, catches fire, it’s nearly impossible to put him out, and the Warriors made sure to get him the ball in the second and third quarters. We’ve won games without Klay.
