NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors got a late Christmas present, they got to host one of the worst teams in the NBA in the Philadelphia 76ers.  While they have some good young talent, the Sixers have only won four games this season, which means the Warriors could use this game as a tune up for the next several games. The Warriors host some of the better teams in the NBA in the next four games and this could be great practice for a team that’s looking to extend their lead in the Western Conference standings.

You can’t take the Sixers for granted, the Warriors must execute their game plan and put them away early. In case you missed the game, here’s our instant recap:

1st Quarter:

The Warriors got off to a slow start and their sloppiness allowed the Sixers to grab an early 6-0 lead. Klay Thompson got things going by scoring 9 quick points, which gave the Warriors a five point lead. The Dubs took over after that, they quickly asserted themselves and it all began with Klay and Marreese Speights. The Sixers kept turning the ball over and the Warriors took advantage. While the Warriors were sluggish to start the game, it didn’t last long. Klay led the Warriors with 11 points and they led 32-17 going into the second quarter.

2nd Quarter:

The Warriors kept playing well to start the second quarter and they kept increasing their lead. Harrison Barnes and Shaun Livingston started the quarter well and they quickly were up by 23. The Warrior defense was impressive, they only allowed two points in the first five minutes of the quarter and were able to control the pace against this young team. Speights continued to play well and he scored six points in a row, helping the Warriors maintain their 21 point lead. The Sixers had no answer on either side of the floor and the Warriors were up big at halftime, they led 61-34. Speights and Thompson both had 14 a piece.

 

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3rd Quarter

Both teams traded baskets to start the quarter. The starters were in there, but with such a big lead, you expected Kerr to bring in the second unit soon. The starters continued to stay in the game and they kept beating the Sixers up and down the floor. The lead was now at 29 and you could tell this game was over. This was simply a clinic and the Sixers were just watching. The lead kept growing and every Warriors was scoring at will, they were just taking turns. Leandro Barbosa came into the game and quickly scored 11 points, which just comes to show how deep this team really is. The Warriors led 96-63 going into the fourth quarter. Speights led all scorers with 20 points.

4th Quarter

The second unit was in to start the final period and still the lead kept growing. The Warriors were hot and they were up by 40 points. Yes, you read that right, 40 points! Kuzmic and Brandon Rush came into the game when there was absolutely no doubt they were going to win. Kuzmic got on the board early and the Warriors showed their depth with their ability to maintain the same pace. Holiday was up to nine points and Barbosa had 17. This game was over, both teams were just waiting for the time to expire.