Washington Wizards Can’t Keep Up With Golden State Warriors’ Pace
By Ben Mehic
Washington Wizards looked for a season sweep against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night, but were embarrassed by Stephen Curry.
When the Golden State Warriors are firing on all cylinders, they transcend the fundamentals of basketball, making it seem as if they’ve invented their own sport on the fly.
Once they find their rhythm, the opposition merely becomes an obstacle for highlights.
On Sunday night, the Washington Wizards were embarrassed by the Warriors, 139-115, becoming just another victim to their high octane offense.
Washington appeared engaged in the first quarter and kept up with Golden State’s pace, trading baskets, staying within a possession of tying or taking the lead. Bradley Beal scored 13 points, knocking down several shots from deep.
But defensively, Washington wasn’t communicating and the Warriors took advantage.
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Stephen Curry, the best shooter to ever play the game, was somehow left open on consecutive possessions.
The Warriors feed off those sort of plays. A couple of open Curry threes might give the Warriors a 6-point lead, but that lead balloons to double-digits in a matter of moments.
Curry drilled the open looks and his teammates found their bounce. The crowd got into the game, the Wizards scrambled, turning the ball over and the Warriors capitalized.
Suddenly, a 6-point lead turns into 12.
Unlike some contenders, the Warriors have earned a reputation of not stepping off the gas pedal when they gain such an advantage.
From top to bottom, the Warriors’ roster is complete with unselfish players who look for the extra pass. The ball movement leads to more open looks, which turns into a bigger lead.
The formula for winning games offensively is simple: have shooters and move the ball. In Golden State’s case, they have the best shooters to ever play and the most unselfish talent in the NBA. It’s something incapable of being replicated.
Curry lit the team up for 42 points, making 9 of his 14 threes. He played 36 minutes.
Golden State’s bench carried the momentum built by Curry, with Shaun Livingston adding 17 points on 8 of 10 shooting.
There’s only so much that a team like the Washington Wizards – or any team, for that matter – can do when the Warriors hit their stride. Their offense is historically great and it’s that way without Kevin Durant on the floor, too.
The only positive takeaway from the loss for Washington is that the starters were allowed to rest. The game was close – Washington kept it within 10 for most of the game – on paper, but it was over as soon as the Warriors went on a run.
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Washington will return home to face the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night. Following Sunday’s loss, the Wizards find themselves a full game behind the third seeded Toronto Raptors.