The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers do not like each other. But the rivalry, if we may call it that, is becoming ever more lopsided, as the Warriors took another leap past the Clippers on Thursday, dismantling the Clips’ 23-point lead by doing what they do best: sharing the rock, small-ball style.
It was, without a doubt, the best game of the young season.
Golden State was down from the opening minutes all the way until the final 2:43 of the game, largely thanks to a heroic performance early on from LA point guard Chris Paul, who finished the night with 35 points. But for a Warriors club that has come to personify the never-say-die mentality, slowing down was simply not an option. It rarely is for the team.
“No matter how bad we're playing, we always feel like we have a shot,” Warriors point guard Stephen Curry told reporters after the game. "It was a hard-fought, gut-wrenching game that everybody stepped up and played well."
The Warriors were down 23 in the second quarter, and after a Paul Pierce triple with 5:05 remaining in the final period, they were still facing a 10-point deficit. But, on the next possession, a series of quick finds and one-handed passes from Curry to Draymond Green to, eventually, a waiting Andre Iguodala in the right corner ignited something within the reigning champs.
Down to seven. Next, it was a Green layup. Five-point game. Then it was the 2015 Finals MVP’s turn to play hero again, this time from the left corner.
Two-point game, 112-110.
A Clippers timeout was followed by two straight Blake Griffin bricks, before forward Green once again showed his chops as a playmaker, finding Splash Brother Klay Thompson in the right corner for the pump-fake, one-dribble trey.
But Golden State’s one-point advantage was short lived, as Clipper Jamal Crawford responded with a three of his own. Fortunately for the Warriors, they have the 2014-2015 MVP on their team -- and Curry responded with yet another triple for Golden State, completing the squad’s fourth period 8-of-9 performance from deep.
On the other end, Paul missed a midrange jumper, and Golden State jumped on the opportunity to extend its slim lead. With Iguodala taking the ball out under the Warriors’ own basket, Green frontdoored Blake Griffin, leaving the Clippers big man out by the perimeter while Iggy fed the ball to the cutting Green.
From there, holding a three-point advantage with 1:08 remaining, it was simply a matter of hitting free throws. And the Warriors did just that, completing the 23-point comeback and putting another dagger into the Clippers’ claims of a Golden State-LA rivalry.
"We just continued to fight, and even when they were hitting everything, it still never felt like they were just controlling the game," Green said after the contest. "When it's like that, you've got a shot at winning."
"Obviously, you don't get a trophy for it, but it's just a nice storyline and a nice way to start the season," Curry echoed. "We want to enjoy this."
The Warriors are now one of only five NBA teams in history to start the season 13-0. With seemingly limitless options on the offensive end, it’s easy to see why they never feel like they’re out of the game -- why they’ll never say die.
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