The Warriors won a bizarre game in Philadelphia that saw them convert a dreadful 20.7 percent of their 3-pointers until they eventually finished off the 76ers 119-108.
It’s the strangest sight in the world when the Warriors can’t buy a bucket from downtown, but that was the case in the City of Brotherly Love on Monday. They finished the game with a 6-for-29 clip from behind the arc — Steph Curry started 0-for-11, the worst mark of his entire career. He still ended up with 19 points.
Golden State controlled most of the game, but led just 59-56 at halftime. Philadelphia remained within striking distance until late in the fourth quarter. The Hampton 5 lineup wasn’t pulled from the game until 1:21 remained on the clock. This one was a grinder.
Instead of shot making, the Warriors relied on free throws 33-for-39, offensive rebounds 16, cutting to the basket and good old fashioned defense. To still finish with 119 points on just 6 made 3’s shows how this team can morph into a chameleon when necessary. As CSN Broadcaster and KNBR radio host Bob Fitzgerald pointed out, Monday is what it looks like when a strong passing football team rushes for 250 yards. The look and feel was out of the ordinary for these Warriors but it still was more than enough to get the trick done on the road.
In games where the Warriors don’t shoot well, they’ll still normally survive if they have Draymond Green’s A game, which they received against the 76ers. Green was everywhere defensively and making things happen offensively — 14 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals. It was a nice bounce back game for Draymond, who refused to answer questions on the record to reporters after riding the bench for portions of the second half against Brooklyn on Saturday.
Zaza Pachulia was a headline player on offense, pouring in 16 points in just 14 minutes of play. He’s looked refreshed after a shoulder injury and the All-Star break. Kevin Durant was quietly aggressive, and consistently attacked the rim in his 27 points (10-for-11 from the free throw line). Klay Thompson scored 21 points and led the way with a 3-for-9 clip from 3-point land.
David West gave the Warriors the spark off the bench they needed in the second quarter. Golden State went on a 17-4 run and allowed just 5 points defensively in the first five minutes. Much has been made about Cleveland’s bench additions the last few days, but let’s not forget how important West’s role has been in replacing Festus Ezeli and Harrison Barnes on the blocks.
Dario Saric led the way for the 76ers with 21 points and 7 rebounds. Joel Embiid missed the game after undergoing an MRI.
The Warriors have a back-to-back and will face the Wizards Tuesday in Washington.