The Warriors are a good team, that much is clear, but they often struggle to piece together consistent play.
The Dubs looked sluggish at times tonight. Granted, they were missing an integral part of their offense in David Lee, but absences like his should not have this much of a negative impact against a team like Utah. Especially when Marvin Williams and Derrick Favors are out with injuries.
Harrison Barnes was given the start in place of Lee, and he did not produce much on either end of the floor. He scored 8 points on 10 shots.
Jeremy Evans had an active first quarter, he scored the majority of his 10 points in the opening frame, but was forced to leave in the second after a hard fall; he was diagnosed with a bruised tailbone and right elbow.
The contest as a whole was a stagnant one until the closing stages. The Warriors mustered up some exhilarating play later in the game. Center Andrew Bogut continued his trend of stellar play. He scored 16 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. In his last 3 games Bogut is averaging 11.3 points and 16 rebounds.
The man of the hour was, without a doubt, Stephen Curry. The Warriors will only go as far as he takes them. Curry posted an astronomical 44 points with 13 of those coming the fourth quarter. This type of game was needed from the Golden State sharpshooter due to the majority of his team struggling. The other half of the Splash Brothers, Klay Thompson scored 11 points on 3-20 shooting.
With just under 7 minutes to play, the Warriors went on a 12-0 run to regain the lead.
Alec Burks scored a layup with 2:17 remaining giving Utah a 88-87 lead. Stephen Curry ignited the Warriors offense for one last effort to win the game. They ran off for eight straight points to secure the victory.
The Warriors have struggled since their recent winning streak, but tonight was a good sign. The win was sloppy, but they were able to secure back-to-backs victories.
Golden State really could have used Lee’s services tonight, but it is important for them to win games when they are undermanned. He is still receiving anti-inflammatory injections to help with a sprained shoulder he suffered on January 20th.
The Warriors will look to win their third straight game against the Charlotte Bobcats on February 4th.