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Kendra AndrewsESPN
LOS ANGELES — The Golden State Warriors did not want Stephen Curry to save lots of them as he returned from the left leg damage that held him out for 11 video games.
As a substitute, they only wished him to affix them within the momentum they constructed over the previous 5 video games and assist them take the subsequent step in making the run they have been ready for all season.
For a lot of their matinee recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers, it felt like an identical script to a number of of their latest video games: fall behind early — by 20 on Sunday — then combat their manner up and over the hump. However at Crypto.com Enviornment, they got here up brief, falling 113-105.
Curry’s night time mirrored that of his group. He went scoreless within the first quarter earlier than placing up eight factors within the second. The aim early on was simply to permit him to see the ball undergo the ring, however he missed his first two wide-open appears. He shot solely 2-of-7 (1-of-5 from 3) on uncontested photographs.
Within the third interval he once more did not register some extent, however then within the fourth he erupted for 19 — probably the most he is scored in a fourth quarter this season.
“I felt like I acquired stronger as the sport went on,” Curry mentioned. He performed 32 minutes, barely over the 28 minutes the group hoped to maintain him round.
As a lot of a luxurious as it could have been to easily add Curry — and Andre Iguodala — again into the combo and see the group’s stage of play skyrocket from there, Golden State understands that is not life like.
There’s nonetheless an adjustment interval.
“The way in which the blokes have been taking part in during the last 5 video games and the stretch that we had at dwelling, it is a powerful transition for everyone,” Curry mentioned. “Simply guys making an attempt to maintain their rhythm, hold their confidence. That is our problem as a group. Now we have to take care of belief in one another as a result of we’re all aiming to win on the highest stage.”
Golden State cannot put a finger on precisely why it has been getting off to gradual begins or why it has such a discrepancy acting on the highway versus at dwelling. The Warriors are 27-7 at dwelling — tied for the second-most dwelling wins — however simply 7-24 elsewhere, tied for third-fewest wins on the highway.
Towards the Lakers, early fouling was a difficulty, one thing that plagued the Warriors earlier within the season. There have been additionally key stretches all through the sport when the group acquired careless, Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned.
“There is a stretch … if we may have executed we may have gotten some good photographs,” Kerr mentioned. “We simply did not execute. We by no means may fairly recover from the hump.”
Klay Thompson added 22 factors on 8-of-18 capturing, together with 4 3-pointers, and three different Warriors completed in double figures. Kerr was happy with the group’s total defensive efficiency as nicely. However nothing may get the job finished.
Anthony Davis completed with 39 factors for the Lakers on 14-of-25 capturing, including eight rebounds and 6 assists.
The Warriors’ success on the highway shifting ahead will probably be pivotal to how they finish their season. Ten of their last 17 video games are away from dwelling, and all however three of their matchups are in opposition to Western Convention opponents additionally battling for seeding.
This is not new territory for Golden State. And this time of yr is normally one which sees the Warriors kick into excessive gear.
There are parallels between what the Warriors are experiencing now and what they went by way of final season as they made the ultimate push into the playoffs.
Curry was coming off of an damage and the group hoped it could have simply sufficient time for the whole lot to click on. The Warriors had far much less time final yr, with Curry lacking the final 11 video games of the common season and never returning till Recreation 1 of their first-round playoff collection. This season, the Warriors nonetheless have 17 video games left earlier than the beginning of the postseason.
However final yr they began 18-2 — a tangible piece of proof of how good they are often at full power. They have not proven that this season.
“Now we have an out of doors shot of getting home-court benefit,” Curry mentioned. The Warriors presently sit within the 5-seed, two video games behind the Suns and a half-game up on the Timberwolves.
Curry continued: “It is bizarre to say, we’re nonetheless making an attempt to win championships however we’re making an attempt to keep away from the play-in. Each could be true. … Till we get beat, we nonetheless really feel we’re a tricky matchup for anyone. That’s the confidence we have to have down the stretch.”