The Nets had more than their share of opportunities to be the first team to knock off the defending champs this season, and all they needed to do was make one – just one – play in the waning seconds to pull off the stunner. Walton closed the gamewith Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala on the floor, able to take turns on Jack or at least provide help.
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“I think our tank was on empty emotionally and physically”, Nets coach Lionel Hollins said of the overtime that immediately followed Lopez’s miss.
Yet after old friend Jarrett Jack was whistled for a eight second backcourt violation, Andre Iguodala hit an unbelievable game-tying three with five seconds left, and Stanford alum Brook Lopez blew a point blank putback at the buzzer, it wasn’t hard to find signs of demoralization setting in for the Nets – less than 10 games into the season, they were already tired from the trauma of loss and preparing themselves for yet another disappointment.
In ATS trends, the Nets are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall and 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing on zero days rest, while the Warriors are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games overall and 4-0 ATS in their last four games against a team with a losing record.
“We know we’re not invincible if we don’t come ready to play”, Stephen Curry said. “That’s definitely a teaching point for us”.
If it weren’t for Stephen Curry, more people would be talking about why Russell Westbrook is the NBA’s best point guard.
Green had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and a team high 12 assists for his first triple-double of the year.
Nets forward Thaddeus Young recorded 14 first quarter points, the most the Warriors have allowed to any one player in any one quarter this season.
That was the last best chance the Nets would get. But faced with soliddefensive pressure most of the night, Curry’s efficiency fell (13-31 from the field, 5-16 from behind the arc). But even still, man, I should have been smarter than that.
After draining his third 3-point shot of the night Saturday against the Nets, Curry passed his father, Dell Curry, for 42nd on the all-time list with 1,246 3-pointers made.
Suns 105, Nuggets 81: PHOENIX – Eric Bledsoe scored 30 points to lead Phoenix, which led by as many as 37 points in the second half.
“You have to keep players on the court”, Warriors assistant general manager Kirk Lacob said recently, a reference to keeping players healthy. But they didn’t, for whatever reason, and Young shouldered a few of the blame.
Iguodala, who salvaged the game for Golden State, finished with 15 points, six rebounds, six assists, and two steals. And Curry is such a great passer that he can find where the defenses have weakened themselves to go after him and get the open man. The more important the offensive player, the more gravity he commands.
“I owe Joe. He put that on a platter and I just blew it”.
He added: “It’s tough”. We felt we called a timeout. “It’s time to do something about this.’ Eventually, we started competing on defense”. Joe made a flawless pass. It was exactly the way the play was drawn up.
“We were right there”. Another fan reportedly said he’d driven his family eight hours from South Dakota for Curry’s one-and-only appearance in Denver.
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But they didn’t get it and ended their three-game trip at 1-2.
