Golden State Warriors Prove They Can Withstand Poor Shooting, Loss of Andrew Bogut
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The Golden State Warriors pulled out a 91-86 win versus the Oklahoma City Thunder despite an uncharacteristically poor shooting performance and being without center Andrew Bogut for all but eight minutes. The Thunder, who proved to the world that they can disrupt sweet-shooting teams by holding the Houston Rockets to under 30 percent shooting the other night, very nearly pulled off the upset at home.
With Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combining to shoot just 11 for 35, the Warriors were without their main offensive firepower for most of the night. However, the Warriors proved that they can find scoring when they need it from their role players. Tonight, forward Marreese Speights took the mantle of the Warriors’ leading scorer, pouring in 28 points on just 18 shots.
The Warriors’ biggest feat, however, was their ability to play elite defense after Bogut left the game in the first quarter with an apparent eye injury. The Thunder shot just 36 percent from the field as the Dubs’ strong defensive presence kept them in the game despite shooting poorly. With backup center Festus Ezeli in foul trouble for most of the game, Speights stepped up admirably, bumping bodies with forward Serge Ibaka and center Steven Adams as needed. Speights was a clear defensive liability last season, but has developed his post defense since then and is now capable of guarding both centers and power forwards in key stretches. In particular, Ibaka went five for 17 from the field with four turnovers, a direct result of Speights’ spirited defensive effort.
Without Bogut or the Splash Brothers’ contributions on offense, the Warriors proved they can still pull out scrappy wins on the road. The Warriors’ resilience is another sign that they might be true contenders in a tough Western Conference.
Alex Moss covers the Golden State Warriors for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @Manus_BaldSpot or add him to your network on Google. You can also find his own blog at manusbaldspot.weebly.com.
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