1) After cutting a 19-point deficit down to only 6 heading into halftime, the Warriors came out of the break and had one of their worst third quarters of the season. They committed 13 turnovers in the third frame on way to getting outscored 36 to 17. The biggest culprit on the night was Draymond Green. Although he amassed a near triple-double with 14, 12 and 8, and was a beast defensively at center during the second quarter rally, Dray had a team-high 9 turnovers while trying to thread the needle with passes on multiple occasions in transition. After the eight-day break, he and the team had an off night in all facets of the game (39% FG, 20 TO).
2) Lillard was electric all night. Going against Curry and the Warriors, Dame clearly wanted to make a statement for the All-Star snubbing. The Oakland product scored 17 points in the first quarter alone on way to a career-high 51. It seemed with each make Dame would connect from farther and farther out, eventually finishing a ridiculous 9-of-12 from beyond the arc.
3) I wasn’t the only one who thought Dame looked like he was in Curry Mode. Steve Kerr said after the game, “He was phenomenal. He looked like Steph Curry out there.”
4) The Warriors offense is so cunning. Watch Steph trick his defender with a fake to the left. As soon as Allen Crabbe turns his head, Draymond is there to set a back screen and give Steph an open look on the other side.
5) Dray picked up his 12th technical of the season, one more than his total from last year. He was lucky not to have picked up two techs on that demonstrative reaction to a (correct) call.
6) Strange stat of the night: Somehow Klay Thompson managed to finish with a +2 in the 32-point drubbing. Every other Warrior was a negative in plus-minus.
7) These are the games where the Warriors really miss Festus. When Bogut has trouble going against athletic front lines, Festus’ athleticism on defense and rim runs on offense really helps unclog the game.
8) Who would’ve thought before the season began that the second-highest scoring backcourt behind the Splash Brothers would be Lillard and McCollum. These Blazers are way ahead of schedule after losing four starters from last year’s team.
9) One more Lillard thing: Whenever I see Dame dunk in half court it always reminds me of a young Deron Williams. They both have that powerful one-handed jam that’s slightly more vicious and athletic than you expect.
10) If there’s any positive to this blowout it’s that it came on the front end of a back-to-back. The Warriors get a chance to regroup quickly against their old friends, the Clippers. I think we all remember what happened the last time they met.
Sure Lillard was tweaked off about the All star snub, he had every right to be, but I blame the Laker ballot stuffers who had to see Kobe in the game when he obviously did not deserve to be there. His situation is understandable, but Kobe should just be there as an honorary member only, and not at the expense of a superior player.