Warriors overview – Dubs crush Spurs in front of record 68,325 fans
The Warriors pushed their record back to .500 on Friday night, and they took an unfamiliar path to get there.
Golden State’s 144–113 victory over the Spurs before an NBA-record crowd (68,323) at the Alamodome in San Antonio was a case of exercising its superiority over a rebuilding squad regardless of venue.
Eight Warriors scored in double digits, led by 25 points from Jordan Poole and 22 from Donte DiVincenzo, as the Warriors lifted their road record to 4–16.
Here are three observations from a win in which Golden State (21-21) posted its highest-scoring game of the season:
Classic Four Sparkle
The foursome of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, and Klay Thompson — teammates since 2015 — played one of the complete games of the season as a group and as individuals.
All four shot at least 50 percent from the field, with three scoring in double digits. Thompson scored 16, Curry scored 15, and Looney scored 12 points.
And Green took care of the glass, scoring 12 goals in only 29 minutes. He added four assists, three steals, and one block to finish plus-20 tops among starters.
Perhaps best, the four combined for six turnovers, more than their 16 turnovers.
Refusing to play down to their opponent’s level, the Warriors trailed just a few times this season, making it one of the rare games that didn’t require a four in the fourth quarter.
JP and Donte bring the heat
Poole and DiVincenzo faced off in this huge barn during their collegiate careers. Donte returned with warm memories, scoring 31 points to lead Villanova over JP’s Michigan team in the championship game.
On the night, as teammates, Poole and DiVincenzo combined for 47 points to lead one of the more impressive bench performances of the season.
Poole’s 25 points came on 8-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-6 from beyond the arc. He added six assists and three rebounds.
DiVincenzo’s 22 points came on 7-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-12 from deep. He added seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
Curry’s return this week allows the bench backcourt plenty of time to build chemistry. The JP-Donte combo has tremendous potential, and much of it was visible from their work against the Spurs.
Brutal than jump
The Warriors, who practically trademarked the concept of playing catch-up after a sluggish start, bucked the trend against the Spurs.
They scored 17–4 in the first four minutes, making seven of their first ten shots and holding San Antonio without a field goal.
And when the Spurs responded with a 9-0 run, the Warriors quickly came back to take command, never giving up and at no point in danger.
The relentless assault on the rim covered some of Golden State’s defensive lapses and, in addition, showed a team determined not only to win but to dominate.
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