The Warriors got an assist from the NBA schedule makers. Facing a third game in four nights, Golden State was given the opportunity to quickly dismantle a short-handed Lakers team and rest their starters before another 3-in-4 set beginning on Friday. Without the specter of Kobe Bryant chucking low-percentage threes, this game was quickly demoted to “I’ll just watch the highlights later” status for most fans. Here’s the main takeaway not to miss: the Warriors are now 33-2 on the season.
1) The Lakers allow 107.4 points per 100 possessions, dead last in the NBA. Sometimes stats don’t match the eye-test, but this isn’t one of those times. LA’s defense was atrocious all game. The Warriors got open shot after open shot in transition, and in the few instances where they had to work in the half court, all it took was one cut or two quick passes before another unmolested jumper presented itself. You know the defense is bad when Andrew Bogut beats everyone down the court for a dunk.
2) Stephen Curry re-aggravated a shin contusion on a drive by Roy Hibbert. That’s a lot of leg injuries in the last few weeks for the reigning MVP. Steph has said he’ll “keep treating it and keep playing.” While I admire that will, maybe a week off wouldn’t be so bad. To fully heal, the shin needs four weeks off.
3) At one point Klay Thompson had the same amount of points as the entire Lakers team at 22 a piece. Klay finished with a game-high 36 points on 12-22 shooting. It looks like he really wants three Warriors on that All-Star team.
4) LA’s poor play robbed Draymond Green of a chance for a fourth consecutive triple-double. Against the porous Lakers defense, Dray’s Magic-like ability to probe for open teammates wasn’t needed. He finished with “only” five assists to go along with 12 boards and 9 points in 28 minutes.
5) Tiger Moms around the world must have enjoyed a mirthful chuckle when it was announced D’Angelo Russell would miss the game with a sore throat. Short of having my throat ripped out by Rick Grimes, my parents would never have allowed me to miss school because of a throat ailment, let alone a professional basketball game.
6) Not a good night for guys drafted in the ’90s. After Dirk Nowitzki got blocked by the rim on a wide open dunk attempt, Metta World Peace got a flat tire and missed a layup (to the delight of the Warriors bench).
7) It’s hard to notice a person aging when you see them regularly, the gradual decay is less discernible. It’s not until you move a piece of furniture do you realize how vibrant and lush the carpet underneath used to be. Check out young Kobe in his mind-bending 81-point game. It’s hard to believe that’s the same Kobe that now occasionally runs like an old man.
8) Byron Scott’s benching of Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell may seem short-sighted, as the two former lottery picks are the future of the franchise, but I’d argue Scott very much has his eyes on the future: the Lakers keep their draft pick if it falls in the top three (they currently have the second-worst record in the NBA).
9) Isn’t Larry Nance Jr. having the rookie season everyone expected from San Jose native Aaron Gordon? The big man might not have the most refined skills, but Nance is always around the ball and his athleticism makes him a constant threat on dives to the rim and offensive rebounds. His nine points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes was one of the few bright spots on a starless LA night.
10) This might be a good time to remember that these historically good Warriors are only 3.5 games ahead of the Spurs in the standings. How is that possible? Why won’t that team ever die? Don’t they have throats that get sore that can keep them out a few games?