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OAKLAND – Considering the Warriors’ last two games, it’s hard to imagine what Friday night will bring — besides DeMarcus Cousins.
The fifth All-Star is expected to be in the starting lineup for his first game as a Warrior and his first in the NBA since his Achilles tendon injury almost a year ago.
But after back-to-back nights in which they broke 140 points, what might happen Friday night after a day of rest, especially for Stephen Curry?
The two-time MVP put on one of the greatest shows of his career Wednesday night, scoring 41 points on 22 shots, making nine of 17 from three-point land, in a 147-140 victory over New Orleans.
“Tonight might have been his most unbelievable stretch in terms of the difficulty of his shots,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I’ve seen him be hot obviously a million times. But I’m looking forward to watching the tape.”
Curry became the first player in NBA history to make at least nine 3’s in three consecutive games and he tied his own NBA record for most 3’s in a three-game span (28). In the third quarter, he made 7 of 8.
“It looked like they were all beyond six feet beyond the 3-point line with the hand in his face,” Kerr said. “It’s insane what he does.”
“He’s the only person who can shoot shots like that in rhythm and make them,” said Kevin Durant. “That’s why I shake my head. It’s a once in a life-time talent.”
Curry was hardly alone in shooting three-pointers. The Warriors took 49 shots from out there (making 24). The Pelicans shot 37 (making 19). With 43 makes between them, the teams broke a record that was set just 11 days earlier when the Warriors (20) and Sacramento Kings (21) combined for 41.
In the Warriors’ six-game winning streak, they have led the NBA in most 3’s a game (18.6) and have ranked second in the 3-point attempts per game (43) behind the Houston Rockets (45.8).
What’s going on?
“Steph got healthy,” Kerr said. “Simple enough.”
Curry is averaging more than 15 three-point attempts in Jaunary, up from 11 in December. But he has his own theory about what’s going on with the team, and it has nothing to do with the number of shots.
“It’s all about the way we create open looks from 3. It’s not about every possession thinking, ‘How do we get a 3 up?’” Curry said. “Moving the ball, moving bodies, noticing certain patterns that we have and guys shooting with confidence. It creates a good vibe and momentum for us.”
Witness: Thompson launched eight shots from three (made 4). Durant took 10 and made five. Draymond Green took seven and made 4.That extended to the other Splash Brother in Thompson (19 points with a 4-of-8 mark from 3).
“A lot of teams have been keeping up with us knocking down 3’s this year,” Durant said. “More GM’s are trying to find shooters to put on their teams around their big players that can penetrate.”
As he was speaking, Curry entered the interview room.
Said Durant: “We got the best 3-point shooter walking in, so I’m done.”
Green talking trash again after making 3’s
The Warriors forward probably should not have taken the shot. The Pelicans left him open for a reason. Green didn’t care. He hoisted from 22 feet and the shot went in the basket to give the Warriors a 139-131 lead with 1:16 remaining.
Who knew Green could make the dagger 3? Perhaps only Green, who then immediately stared down Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry, a former Warriors assistant on their 2015 NBA championship team. Even Green joined the 3-point club for one night (4-of-7).
“Make or miss, him being decisive with whatever he does is great for us,” Curry said. “We’ll live with the makes or misses. We all feed off of that energy we create. There’s no indecision. That’s an adjustment we made and he made specifically.”
Because of those adjustments, Green finished with a season-high 14 assists a night after recording a previous season-high 13 assissts in Denver. In the past five games, Green has averaged 10.2 assists and only 1.2 turnovers.
“He’s doing a tremendous job pushing the ball in transition and making a simple play,” Kerr said of Green. “I haven’t seen the no-look hook passes or throw aheads that go out-of-bounds. He’s just making sure of each pass. That’s the biggest thing. I’ve said it for years. If we can stay even on the possession game with our opponents, we’re going to win. We have that much talent.”
The Warriors handled the second night of a back-to-back just fine
Beforehand, Kerr’s coaching staff sensed the Warriors would need to grind out this one.
After all, the Warriors had played in Denver on Tuesday. They arrived in Oakland late Wednesday morning. They faced a Pelicans team that likes to push the pace, too. To most NBA teams, this would be a scheduled loss. To the Warriors? This was another day at the office.
“It took us a lot of effort to win that game,” Kerr said. “It took every ounce of it to get over the hump.”
After all, the Warriors had to overcome a 17-point deficit. They absorbed a defense that Kerr called “poor” considering the Pelicans (21-24) featured Anthony Davis (30), Nikola Mirotic (29), Jrue Holiday (25), Julius Randle (23) and E’Twaune Moore (17) logging double-digits.
The Warriors compensated with their 3-point shooting, fast-break points (45) as well as Andre Iguodala (13 points ) and Shaun Livingston (13), two veterans that have often sat on back-to-backs.
“We wouldn’t have won this game a month ago,” Kerr said. “We’re in a different place now. I can feel it as a coach. We’re more connected now.”
The reasons include improved health, time passed from the Durant-Green argument and better execution.
“We’re in a better place as a team. Coach is 100 percent right about that,” Durant said. “But when it comes to the court, I think we would’ve pulled this out no matter what time it was in the season.”
Even on the second night of a back-to-back?
“I know some people who don’t have a place to live and some people on life support,” Durant said. “We’re playing basketball. I don’t see how it’s so hard.”
