OAKLAND – The Warriors recognized and generally responded properly to the challenge presented by the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.
Aside from a third quarter in which the defending champions considered defense-optional, their 115-108 victory affirmed their ability to find another level when it’s truly needed, particularly against a competitive opponent.
Here are some of the positives and negatives culled from their 16th win in 17 games:
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The Machine
Kevin Durant scored 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field. His 3-pointer continues to be iffy (he was 1-of-6 there), but the only one he drained on this night was the dagger, a 28-footer giving the Warriors a 114-106 lead with 1:16 remaining. Through five games this month, he’s shooting 62.5 percent.
On nights like this, when Durant has it going, he should be fed. The Machine needs to eat. He’ll get his assists (he had seven), but when the most efficient scorer is rolling, feed him.
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POSITIVE
Andre sipping from fountain of youth
Aside from one play, when he was cooked by Raul Neto, Utah’s quick backup point guard, Andre Iguodala was as good as ever at delivering things large and small essential to success. He scored 13 points, shooting 5-of-6, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. He added five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Guess he has recovered from that hamstring tightness.
Enjoy it, Warriors fans. You’re catching glimpses of Playoff Andre, at age 35, in the regular season.
NEGATIVE
Clobbered on the glass
Though the Warriors did a reasonably good job of rebounding early, grabbing 12 to Utah’s 14, they fell off dramatically as the game went on. In the second and third quarters, the Warriors were outrebounded 24-13. They snagged a total of five – five! – in the third quarter, practically throwing open the door to defeat.
Not until the fourth quarter did the Warriors seem committed to rebounding. Durant, whose rebounding has tapered off since the arrival of Cousins, pulled two rebounds.
Durant’s drop in rebounding is logical insofar as there is less space in the paint. Still, he can do better, and so can some of his teammates.
POSITIVE
The Warrior
Klay Thompson left the game in the first quarter, his left ring finger bent at angle that ought to require a blacksmith repeatedly swinging his hammer. He walked off in a very Klay way, nonchalantly and without a fuss. He came back in the second quarter, ring finger taped to his middle finger, and 41 seconds later threw down dunk. Right-handed.
He scored two points on 1-of-3 shooting before dislocating his finger. He scored 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-5 after.
There is more than one Warrior with machine-like qualities.
POSITIVE
Careful, careful
The Warriors committed only seven turnovers, off which Utah scored eight points. Draymond Green had only one, while recording six assists. Durant was even better, failing to commit a turnover while ringing up a team-high seven assists. The Warriors totaled 29 assists.
[RELATED: Draymond Green shakes off injury, turns up defense and smothers Jazz]
Such low-mistake ball – it’s hard to beat a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, speaks to their focus. If only there were a way to bottle it.