OAKLAND — With Stephen Curry wearing a suit on the bench and Draymond Green nowhere near Oracle Arena while suspended over his beef with Kevin Durant, the Warriors buttoned up just enough things to forge a 110-103 win over the lowly Atlanta Hawks.
Four Warriors scored in double figures, with Durant and Klay Thompson leading the way, as Golden State pushed its record to 12-3.
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SIGN UP HERE Here are three takeaways from the game in which the Warriors shot poorly but found a way to prevail after a drama-filled day:
They found some grit
Neither Kevin Durant (29 points) nor Klay Thompson (24) had a monster offensive game, as they combined to score 53 points on 17-of-41 shooting from the field. Durant really struggled, going 9 of 23 from the field. It didn’t matter.
That’s because one night after losing the battle of wills to the Clippers in Los Angeles, the Warriors dug in and played with a much higher level of determination.
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They outrebounded Atlanta (48-42) and forced 17 turnovers (off which they scored 23 points), while committing just 13, giving the Hawks 10 points.
The Hawks (3-11) are short on talent, but they play with purpose. That’s how they came within one point of beating the Lakers on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Beating them requires a certain focus. On a night when the Warriors didn’t shoot well (42.9 percent), they had it.
Jerebko acquitted himself very well
Jonas Jerebko got the start at power forward in the absence of Green and submitted a strong all-around game, totaling 14 points and 13 rebounds -- both season highs -- in 25 minutes.
In posting a team-best plus-23, Jerebko pretty much did much of what Green does when he’s in the lineup, most importantly providing energy.
Jerebko drained four 3-pointers, but his effort was most visible in his relentless pursuit of rebounds and loose balls. At one point in the third quarter, he went after a loose ball and ended up going over the courtside seats.
Finishing with his first double-double as a Warrior and the 11th of his career, Jerebko was an excellent fill-in for a team that needed him in a pinch.
Cook’s offense bounced back
After a subpar game against the Clippers, scoring seven points in 22 minutes, Quinn Cook came home and rediscovered his offensive game.
Cook finished with 18 points (8 of 18 from the floor, 2 of 7 from deep) and a team-high six assists. He was a plus-5 over 34 minutes.
The Warriors still have no timeline for Curry’s return. As long as he is out, the Warriors need Cook to provide some scoring. It’s the surest way to take some of the pressure off Durant and Thompson while also forcing opponents to cover more of the floor.
There is one more benefit to Cook’s scoring. It offsets some of what he gives up on defense.