WarriorsWorld is providing an unbiased series of posts while watching and reporting on Jarrett Jack, and only Jarrett Jack, on both ends of the floor for the entire Western Conference Semifinals. This installment covers Game 4 in Oakland.
Jarrett Jack Watch: Game #1
Jarrett Jack Watch: Game #2
Jarrett Jack Watch: Game #3
With Jarrett Jack, I feel like the 5-year-old John Lennon having to choose between his parents. Who do you want to be with, John? Your mom or your dad?
What do you think of Jarrett Jack, Jesse? Do you hate him or do you love him? You should hate him because he makes awful late-game turnovers, keeps the ball out of the hands of the Warriors best shooters and can’t play defense. You should love him because he’s a great leader in the locker room and on the court, is fearless, has Giant Coco-de-Mer nuts, is a veteran back-up guard that allows Curry to rest and can hit clutch shots others are afraid to take.
Hate him. Love him. Hate. Love. Jarrett Jack is the right and left hand of Radio Raheem.
But John Lennon shouldn’t have been forced to pick between his parents and I shouldn’t have to pick a side with Jack. I’ll take him for what he is – the good and the bad.
Like most Jack games, this one featured a lot of good, a lot of bad, but you take them both and there you have – a Warriors win. With a severely hobbled Curry, it’s a win the Warriors don’t get without Jack. He contributed to an awful first quarter that saw the Spurs go on a 9-0 run after he checked in. But when Curry needed a rest in the second and Klay’s shot had gone missing, Jack was there to keep the Warriors in the game.
Some were blaming Jack for Klay’s lack of shots in the first half, but he took seven (five with Jack in the game) and missed five of them. How’s that fall on Jack?
Down 8 with four-and-a-half minutes to play, Jack took over, outscoring the Spurs by himself from that point through overtime, 14-7.
It was an ugly game that the Warriors were lucky to win. It seemed fitting that they were led on this day by the roller-coaster ride that is Jarrett Jack. Here’s a quick quarterly breakdown.
First Quarter:
Jack checks in at the 6:19 mark with the score tied 11-11. The next four minutes get ugly. Both teams are sloppy and the Warriors miss a bunch of jumpers, including two from Jack. Down 14-11, Klay misses his fourth straight shot and Lee can’t move enough to play defense and commits his second foul.
Spurs lead 20-11 with 2:06 to go. After a Manu three, it’s 26-19 Spurs at the end of the first.
Second Quarter:
Down 10, Jack dribbles up court and tries to make a pass as if Gary Neal doesn’t exist. But Neal does exist and the ball hits his leg and the Spurs take over the possession.
10:30 left. Spurs lead 31-22. Andris Biedrins checks in. What can only be described as “inspiration from Biedrins,” Jack begins to convert tough shots and play more aggressive defense. But the Warriors remain down, 27-39 with 6:13 left.
The half ends on a Jack roller-coaster. He zigs and zags to hit a layup, then is fouled twice and hits 3-4 FTs, dribbles a lot, passes, gets the ball back, misses a jumper, and lastly, commits a charge to end the half. Warriors trail 37-45.
Third Quarter:
Jack misses most of the third quarter as the Warriors make a run to tie the game. The Warriors are down two when Jack checks in with 1:57 left in the third. Spurs go to hack-a-Bogut. Jack guards Parker to end the quarter and is beaten badly as the Spurs take a 62-60 lead into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter:
Warriors start the fourth with a lineup of Lee, Landry, Jack, Barnes and Klay. After too much dribbling, some bad shots and bad defense, it’s 68-60.
Curry and Bogut check in for Landry and Lee. Jack drives into the lane and finds Curry open in the corner for a three. This cuts the lead to 70-72 with 7:35 left.
Now down 80-72 with under five minutes to play, the Warriors go to the Jack dominated offense. But fear not. Jack heats up, scoring 6 straight Warrior points. Warriors trail 78-82 with 3:27 left. Then, led by Bogut and Jack, the Warriors defense begins to shut down the Spurs.
Down two with under a minute to play, Jack takes a pull-up jumper.
Game tied, last possession of regulation, Mark Jackson isolates Jack for the final 16 seconds. He dribbles out the clock and takes a contested jumper.
Overtime:
Jack and Landry’s overtime play:
The Spurs overtime play:
How do the Warriors feel about the victory?
