What a game. The Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets game was a roller coaster of emotions at Barclays Center on Thursday.
The Dubs went down big early, falling behind by 22 early in the second-quarter before bouncing back to a feel-good win. The game had a little bit of everything -- a dominant Jimmy Butler performance, big games from Quinten Post and Gary Payton II, and it was all capped off with a Stephen Curry 40-point night.
To start the game, the Warriors looked like they had a bit too much fun in New York for Draymond Green's birthday. The Nets were out-hustling them, with the visitors looking slow and sloppy before everything turned around once Curry and Butler decided to control the game.
The Warriors had an edge in this game that had been building over the last few weeks. The stadium somehow fueled them, sounding like a home game in Brooklyn. Curry was harassed all game and responded with a hard offensive foul in the first-quarter, yet the 2x MVP did pick up nine free throws by game's end. Steve Kerr picked up a technical, while Green was barking all night long. The cherry on top was Curry dropping his signature “Night-Night” celebration after a huge late-game three.
Since Butler joined, the team has a new swagger about them, and it is infecting the entire roster. The bench is hyped, the defense is locked in, and the team feels like they can beat anyone. Curry doesn’t usually yell and celebrate this much, with his boosted confidence leading him to averaging over 35 points per game on the road-trip.
Thursday's game was a perfect end to a great road trip. The Warriors went 4-1 and are now ready for a seven-game home-stand, which will hopefully include the return of Jonathan Kuminga. They grabbed great wins against the Magic, Hornets, Knicks and now Nets, while succumbing to one tough loss when Quentin Grimes went nuclear in Philadelphia.
Although some tests lie ahead, the Warriors seem ready for any challenge. They are finding ways to grind out ugly wins and hold onto leads which are both things they simply couldn’t do earlier in the season.
Additionally, the Warriors have another weapon waiting. Kuminga should be returning soon to give the Warriors even more offensive firepower and defensive muscle. If everything breaks right over the next few weeks, the Warriors could be fighting for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. That should be their goal.
