The Warriors completed an undefeated homestand with a 104-74 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night, the fewest points Golden State has allowed in a game this season. Stephen Curry scored a game-high 25 points while Kevin Durant wasn’t far behind with 22 of his own, and Draymond Green recorded another double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. With the win, Golden State improves to 25-4 on the season.
The two teams combined to miss the first 11 shots of the game, which remained scoreless until Stephen Curry broke the deadlock with two free throws after 3:27 had elapsed. Kevin Durant would score Golden State’s next six points before Curry knocked down the 1,700th three-pointer of his career to put the Dubs in front 11-8 with 4:22 left in the opening frame.
The Warriors would eventually finish the quarter holding a 19-15 lead, with the low score reflective of some combination of great defense and poor shooting from both sides. Golden State shot 7-of-26 from the field in the first frame, while Utah made just five of their 23 attempts.
GAME LEADERS
Whatever shooting woes ailed the Warriors in the first quarter did not persist in the second, however. The Dubs got off to a promising start, as Durant scored back-to-back baskets within the opening 43 seconds before Andre Iguodala’s three-pointer gave the Warriors a 26-15 lead at the 10:25 mark. The Jazz would immediately respond with a 6-0 run though, keeping themselves right in Golden State’s rearview mirror, at least for the moment. Klay Thompson, who had taken one shot up to that point in the game, would then find his groove and make each of his next five attempts, including one from three-point range. Thompson’s surge would help ignite a 25-8 Warriors’ run to close the quarter, as Golden State took their largest lead of the half on Curry’s three-pointer with 27 seconds remaining. Joe Ingles would then convert a layup with six seconds left to trim the Warriors’ commanding lead to 55-33 heading into halftime. Utah’s 33 points were the fewest Golden State had allowed in any half this season. The Warriors committed just two turnovers compared to the Jazz’ 13, and held a 12-0 advantage in fast break points.
Back-to-back three-pointers from Ingles would cut the deficit to 18 less than two minutes into the third quarter, but the Jazz would get no closer from that point on. After Curry found Durant for a score off an out-of-bounds play on the ensuing possession, Curry would score the next five points of the contest, capping the run with a three-pointer that put the Dubs up 64-39 with 8:25 remaining in the frame.
Golden State would build their advantage as large as 30 points before Shelvin Mack’s layup with eight seconds left closed out the scoring in the quarter, trimming the Warriors’ lead to 82-54 heading into the fourth and final period.
Green would sink two three-pointers within the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, after which he was replaced by Durant and sat for the remainder of the contest. Soon after, Durant and Thompson would convert back-to-back jumpers to increase the Warriors’ lead to 94-60 with 9:02 remaining in the game, prompting Steve Kerr to empty the bench and have Golden State’s reserves finish out the remainder of the eventual victory. Ian Clark, coming off a career-high 23 points in Golden State’s win over Portland on Saturday, knocked down a three-pointer to give the Warriors their largest lead of the entire night at 102-65 with 4:15 left to play. Utah would finish the game on a 9-2 run, but it was far too little, far too late as the Dubs walked away with a 104-74 victory.
The 74 points scored by the Jazz were the fewest the Warriors had ever allowed to Utah in a game in series history. Golden State has now held three consecutive opponents to 90 points or fewer, a streak they’ll look to continue as they head out on a three-game road trip beginning on Thursday in Brooklyn.