Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
A game after demonstrating they can win a blowout, the Warriors displayed they have the poise to hang on to tight games, too.
The season may not be worth much apart from developmental reasons, but Golden State is learning how to be, if not a good team, a team that is not embarrassing.
A lead that once was 19 turned into five in the late going, but the Warriors were composed enough to hang on in Washington on Monday, clutching on to a 125-117 victory for their second straight.
After a Bradley Beal step-back triple with about five minutes left in the fourth, there was concern so much goodwill — and that lead — would be squandered. But Draymond Green found a cutting Alec Burks on a gorgeous backdoor, and Glenn Robinson III’s putback soon thereafter provided a needed cushion, as the Wizards’ furious fourth was not as good as the Chiefs’.
The Warriors are now 2-2 on this East Coast trip, which finishes Wednesday in Brooklyn.
Beal (43 points on 15-of-30) was outstanding, as was Davis Bertans, whose 5-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc kept Washington afloat. But the Warriors (12-39) were better — even without D’Angelo Russell — against a team they are good enough to beat. Though their record is still the NBA’s worst, the Warriors are not the NBA’s worst team.
Here are more takeaways from the game:
Playing ‘big’
Without Willie Cauley-Stein, the Warriors have struggled — even more than usual — underneath the hoop. Not Monday.
The Wizards possess no intimidating big men, and Golden State’s versions adeptly kept Washington off the boards. The Wizards recorded just two offensive rebounds, a stunning degree of futility, as a roster that featured the second game back for Kevon Looney came through.
Looney was quiet in 10 minutes, while Marquese Chriss was louder. Not exactly known for his defense, Chriss altered shots throughout, establishing his big presence underneath. One of the game’s highlights came in the first, when he went face-to-face with a flying Rui Hachimura, who clunked the attempt off the rim. Minutes prior, Chriss made Isaiah Thomas’ window to the basket so narrow he couldn’t finish.
CHRISS ? pic.twitter.com/AgrNXv4KsP
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 4, 2020
Chriss is not an all-world defender, but the big man was making his presence felt.
Paschall or nothing
Eric Paschall, whose rookie season has been a roller-coaster, had a confounding night.
On the floor, he was often the most active Warrior, seemingly always in attack mode against a team that really had no one to match up with him. Paschall finished with 14 points in 24 minutes on 5-of-13 shooting, but added 10 rebounds — including four on one possession, on which he would not be denied.
Yet, the flaws in his game have perked up often this year, as he has a tendency to disappear and his jumper is not consistent enough. Monday it was the charity stripe that caused some head scratching, a 78 percent shooter going 4-of-9 from the line, including some misses late that kept Washington from sinking.
He put up some of the prettier plays of the game, including a Euro-step to split defenders in the second quarter that wound up with him on the line, only to trade in some of that goodwill by missing the attempts.
Alec Max’d
Alec Burks appeared to be on a mission to up that trade value, exploding for 13 points in five minutes as the Warriors took a commanding lead early.
The pace slowed, but he kept pouring points through. In 29 minutes he dumped in 30 points, 9-of-17 from the floor, 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, a burst of energy every time he stepped on the floor.
Burks was the Warriors’ best player and, unless they expedite their Russell plan, figures to be the best player they deal at the trade deadline. This sort of offensive talent as a seventh- or eighth-man off the bench will help a contender.