As the Golden State Warriors entered Game 4, there was no question they would be leaving the AT&T Center as Western Conference Champions.
The Warriors smelled blood and now they could shift their entire focus to the Cleveland Cavaliers. No offense to the Cavs, but they should have done the same, but instead surrendered a 21 point lead in the second half in Game 3.
Now, the Warriors get some much needed rest before they prepare for an expected long and grueling series. Andre Iguodala and Zaza Pachulia will benefit the most from it, both nursing lingering injuries. Iguodala did look good on the floor today, but when you know you’re next opponent is LeBron James, the rest is welcomed with open arms.
Now, the fun begins. The Warriors move on after a boring series with the Spurs, but they deserve a lot of credit for playing their hearts out. The Spurs are one of the best organizations in the NBA and you know they’ll be back with a healthy Kawhi next season.
Let’s look at the quarter break down for Game 4:
First Quarter
Both teams got off to a slow start. They both missed a lot of shots, but Draymond Green’s energy was at a high level and the Warriors got the early lead. The Spurs actually hit the first triple of the game, but the entire game you got the feeling like the Warriors could run away with it whenever they wanted to turn it on. With about seven minutes to go, the score was 8-7, then Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry started to take over. A couple triples and layups later and the Warriors were now up 21-7. The Spurs answered with and 8-0 run of their own and the lead was back to single digits. Curry didn’t let the San Antonio crowd get too amped, quickly draining another triple and once again silencing the crowd. As the Warriors were starting to pour it on, the Spurs didn’t have enough to counter. At the end of the first, the Dubs were up 11.
Second Quarter
Klay Thompson has had some quiet games this postseason and he got the second quarter started with a nice jumper. The teams traded baskets for the first six minutes of the second quarter. The Warriors couldn’t get the lead over 13 points, but the Spurs couldn’t get any closer than seven. The Spurs showed a lot of heart, but the Warriors were so efficient and they played well defensively. It was hard for the Spurs to mount a comeback when they were outplayed on both ends of the floor. Durant had a killer instinct mentality and was aggressive offensively. The former MVP pushed the lead to 17 with a 19 foot jumper. Both teams shot the long ball well enough that the lead kept moving back and forth, but the Warriors were in control the entire time. They led by 14 going into the break.
Third Quarter
Once again, Thompson knocked down a bucket to start the quarter, this time one from downtown. Durant fouled Patty Mills on a three point attempt to give him three easy free throws and the Spurs just kept hanging around. Durant was on a mission and scored five straight points to get the lead to 20. The Spurs then had a little run of their own to make the game interesting, out-scoring the Warriors 13-4 to cut the lead to 11. The crowd was back into it and although the Warriors were in control, you knew the Spurs were not going to roll over and hand the Warriors the win. Again, Curry played the spoiler part and answered back with a quick triple. Back to back three pointers from Curry and Green got the lead back up to 18. After three, the Warriors needed 12 more minutes before they could go home and get ready for June 1st.
Fourth Quarter
Four straight points from the Spurs took it back to a manageable 14 point deficit. Out of nowhere Iguodala scored five straight points, showing he can still get it done although he is battling an injury. At this point both teams knew the outcome of the game, but they still played good basketball. The Warriors could have won by 30 points, but the Spurs didn’t allow it. I keep praising the Spurs because they play basketball the right way and they deserve a lot of credit. You want proof, the Spurs got as close as to 13 with players that some of you have not even heard of. The Warriors beat the Spurs by a final score of 129-115, punching their ticket to the NBA Finals. Both MVP players had big night, Curry with 36 points and Durant with 29. Green almost had a triple double, finishing with 16 points, 8 boards and 8 dimes.