Golden State Warriors Blow a Big Lead, Lose to San Antonio Spurs in Double Overtime
By Ben Beecken
Wow….incredible. Just incredible. So much Stephen Curry early. An 18-2 Spurs run over the final 4:20 of regulation and an embarrassing scoring drought by Golden State. A horrendous collapse of their own by the Spurs over the final minute of the second overtime, seemingly handing the game to the Warriors. A one point Warriors lead with under four seconds left eclipsed by a Manu Ginobili three-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining. It really doesn’t get a whole lot better than this game. I mean, I hope it does. But I don’t think it can, can it?
Both teams struggled mightily to put points on the board in the opening minutes of the game, with sluggish play until late in the first quarter. The Spurs made it clear early that they would be exceedingly physical with the Warriors back court, and Stephen Curry in particular. Any time that Curry or Klay Thompson came out of their cuts and around screens while looking to free themselves in the flow of the offense, the Spurs were there with resistance.
Whether it was a big man running interference or even Tony Parker bodying-up Curry his entire way across the floor, the Spurs were not going to allow the Warriors to easily get the good spot-up looks that they convert so regularly (in the regular season, Golden State finished second in the NBA to Miami in scoring 1.07 points per possession out of spot-up possessions, according to Synergy Sports).
The Warriors took a 28-25 lead into the second frame and played solidly enough in the second quarter to hold onto a 53-49 halftime advantage. Golden State’s defense was impressive in helping the Warriors’ expand their lead, with Andrew Bogut’s wide frame preventing Tony Parker and Ginobili from penetrating and initiating the Spurs’ offense from deep inside the paint.
The visitors managed to pull ahead by double digits as the third quarter ticked by, again flexing their defensive muscle and finally getting some open jump shots to fall. Even when Bogut headed to the bench, the Warriors undersized defense rotated well enough to keep the Spurs from getting much going, forcing them into long, tough two-point jump shots and leaving Tim Duncan and Company to scrounge for offensive rebound and any put-backs they might be able to muster.
The Warriors lead ballooned to 92-80 by the end of the third quarter, and the deficit continued to grow for the Spurs as the minutes ticked by. With the score 104-88 in favor of Golden State, Klay Thompson fouled out. From that point until the end of regulation, the Spurs went on a ridiculous 18-2 run. After a three-pointer by Danny Green with 20 seconds left that tied the game, the Warriors had the final possession. Curry picked up his dribble and was surrounded just above the free throw line, and threw up a wild shot as time expired.
The Warriors scored the first five points of overtime, only to be matched by seven straight points from the Spurs. After trading baskets over the final two minutes of the period, the Spurs had a chance to win with 20.6 seconds left and the score tied at 115-115. After the Warriors used their extra foul and each team called timeouts, Ginobili badly missed a tough jump shot from the left wing, sending the game into a second overtime.
The second overtime was essentially a microcosm of the final four minutes of regulation. With 1:00 on the clock, Curry knocked down two free throws. Ginobili took an ill-advised 27-foot jump shot, and Curry hit a floater in the lane to draw Golden State within a single point. After a Parker missed jumper, Curry pushed the ball ahead to little-used Kent Bazemore, who converted a twisting reverse layup to seemingly give the Warriors a 127-126 victory with just over three seconds to play.
On the other end, however, Ginobili arced a three-point shot over Bazemore, the Warriors’ almost-hero, giving the Spurs a 129-127 lead. Jarret Jack missed a desperation heave at the buzzer, and the Spurs completed a crazy, back-and-forth, impressive victory in Game 1 of what should prove to be a fantastic series.
Quick Thoughts….
– The officials were very, very good. Very few whistles in the latter part of the fourth quarter and both overtimes, and the players were allowed to decide their own fate. It made for fantastic, largely uninterrupted play and was a refreshing departure from how NBA games are too-often officiated down the stretch.
– Due to a combination of Bogut’s inability to convert free throws and Duncan leaving the game midway through the fourth quarter (briefly returning in the first overtime) due to effects of the stomach flu, the Warriors’ center saw very few minutes down the stretch. This opened up the lane for Parker and Ginobili, and created open opportunities from the perimeter for the likes of Danny Green, Boris Diaw, and Kawhi Leonard. Parker was significantly better down the stretch than he was in the first portion of the tilt.
– Missing Thompson’s length on the perimeter also hurt the Warriors quite a bit after he fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Golden State was forced to play even smaller than usual, and they struggled to guard the Spurs perimeter shooters. Combined with the lack of size in the paint to deter penetration, and the Warriors’ defense suffered.
– Stephen Curry’s line: 44 points (18-35 FGs, 6-14 3pt, 2-2 FTs), 11 assists, 2 steals, and 6 turnovers. He played all 58 minutes.