Even though the Spurs aren’t the toughest opponent in the league, moving to San Antonio and hoping to win there without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Otto Porter Jr., Andre Iguodala and Nemanja Bjelica, proved to be a not impossible but very complicated mission for the Warriors.
Especially when the Spurs are 17 points ahead with 14 minutes remaining in the game, despite the awakening of Jordan Poole in the third quarter. How would the young talents of the Warriors react? Could they anyway?
With the veterans behind them, on the bench to support them, the feat was possible.
“It shows our character”explains Poole, author of 31 points, to NBC Sports. “Everyone is happy for everyone, everyone wants to see the other succeed. Stephen Curry spoke to me throughout the game, giving advice to me and the team. Klay Thompson was also very happy. The camaraderie and chemistry are amazing. “
This is illustrated on Poole’s award-winning basket 17 seconds from the end, to take a two-point lead. The back will end his return to his bench by celebrating his shoot, smiling, with Curry.
This shot was possible thanks to the impact of Moses Moody. The rookie had the right to his biggest playing time of the season (37 minutes), which he perfectly used to register 20 points and take 7 rebounds, and thus achieve the best game of his young career. “It was an opportunity to seize”he confides. “I waited patiently, I knew it would come eventually. It was my time to show myself, I was prepared. “
Match action for the Poole–Moody duo
On this action therefore, the 14th choice of the last Draft went to cause the loss of the ball of Dejounte Murray, on the rebound, after a first failed attempt by Poole precisely. This second chance will hurt Gregg Popovich’s players a lot.
“It’s the action that allows us to win the match”assures Poole, always for NBC Sports. “He fought, made the effort, especially at this crucial moment in the game. And especially for a player who arrives in the league. All credit goes to him. “
Steve Kerr has the same analysis as the back to evoke his rookie. “He not only weighed with his shots and his scoring, but he threw himself on the ground for each lost ball, he went to the rebound”notes the coach admiringly. “Moses is a competitor, a winner. “
We should not forget the 14 points of Jonathan Kuminga in the last quarter, nor the match of Damion Lee, author of 21 points. The Warriors’ effort is collective and the victory ” fantastic “ according to Steve Kerr.
Draymond Green is better
And the absentees in all this? What is the news from the elders, who missed this meeting and clutter the infirmary?
“Curry hurt his toe against the Rockets in the middle of the third quarter”begins Kerr for ESPN. “Wiggins has a bad back. Otto also has back problems, when we hoped he could play this game. Not playing him was a wise decision, so he will have a few more days off. Green feels good, but he won’t play again for several days. “
Thompson, he was not dressed because he is still deprived of “back-to-back” and Iguodala is still hampered by his hip. After having played too much according to his coach, the MVP of the 2015 Finals is now seven games in a row missed because of his injury.
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Stephen Curry | 47 | 34.8 | 41.9 | 37.9 | 91.2 | 0.6 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 26.0 |
| Andrew Wiggins | 47 | 31.7 | 48.7 | 41.6 | 67.1 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 18.3 |
| Jordan Poole | 45 | 29.1 | 43.9 | 34.8 | 91.3 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 16.6 |
| Klay Thompson | 10 | 23.4 | 40.6 | 32.9 | 100.0 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 15.6 |
| Otto Porter | 43 | 21.9 | 48.0 | 40.4 | 72.7 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 8.7 |
| Draymond Green | 34 | 29.9 | 53.7 | 28.6 | 59.7 | 1.1 | 6.4 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 7.9 |
| Damion Lee | 40 | 19.9 | 45.7 | 36.7 | 86.0 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 7.7 |
| Gary Payton II | 48 | 16.8 | 63.4 | 37.3 | 58.7 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 7.5 |
| Jonathan Kuminga | 39 | 12.0 | 47.4 | 32.3 | 64.2 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 6.5 |
| Nemanja Bjelica | 49 | 15.4 | 45.3 | 34.2 | 71.0 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 6.4 |
| Kevon Looney | 51 | 21.1 | 54.4 | 0.0 | 65.4 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 6.1 |
| Juan Toscano Anderson | 49 | 15.1 | 49.7 | 27.0 | 59.6 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 4.6 |
| Andre Iguodala | 25 | 20.5 | 38.6 | 21.7 | 81.2 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 4.2 |
| Quinndary Weatherspoon | 3 | 5.3 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.7 |
| Moses Moody | 28 | 7.7 | 36.2 | 20.5 | 80.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 2.5 |
| Chris Chiozza | 25 | 10.1 | 27.6 | 34.2 | 100.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1.8 |
| Jeff Dowtin | 4 | 6.9 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.5 |
