OAKLAND – On a Saturday night when many of the shots that usually fall did not, the Warriors found other ways to overcome the stubborn Dallas Mavericks.
The 120-116 victory was equal parts professionalism as perspiration, as the deeper and more explosive Warriors defended when they needed to and, until the four minutes, respected the opponent.
Here are some positives and negatives gleaned from the Warriors’ 13th consecutive win over the Mavericks at Oracle Arena:
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Busy beyond the arc
After taking 31 three-point shots in each of their last two games, the Warriors went back to work beyond the arc, jacking up 43 shots. They made 15, so the accuracy (34.9 percent) could have been better, but it’s the latest indication that they’re willing to hunt triples. They shot at least 40 only once in the first 26 games but have reach that total four times in the last seven games.
The Warriors consistently rank at near the top of the NBA in 3-point shooting accuracy. With their firepower, taking a few more each game – as long as they are good looks – is a good thing.
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NEGATIVE
That brutal finish
The Warriors entered the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead and hit the gas, needing a little more than two minutes to push the margin to 17. Game over, right? So they thought. Dallas kept playing and over the final four minutes trimmed a 13-point (115-102) deficit to one (117-116) with 59.5 seconds remaining. Kevin Durant came to the rescue, draining a 3-point dagger with 15.6 seconds to play to end it.
The Warriors committed 10 turnovers in the first 44 minutes, and then coughed up three in the final 3:30. Consider it a lesson in victory.
POSITIVE
Jerebko was wonderful
The Warriors have come to rely on Jonas Jerebko to give them 20 productive minutes and he rarely disappoints. He certainly did not against Dallas, scoring a career-high 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, adding six rebounds and three assists. He survived being dunked on by rookie Luka Doncic and came back to mash the Mavericks with his best game as a Warrior.
There are many nights when Jerebko is the team’s most visibly productive reserve. This most certainly was one of them.
POSITIVE
Green takes a giant step toward his mojo
Draymond Green spent most of this season trying to do two things: stay healthy and find his missing 3-point shot. In his sixth game since missing the better part of five weeks with a sprained toe, he displayed signs of both.
He drilled his first two 3-point attempts and finished with 14 points, including 2-of-4 shooting from deep. This was a massive improvement after scoring 27 points, with 1-of-10 shooting beyond the arc, over the last five games.
If Green can make a triple or two a game – and he has proven capable – it would make life considerably easier for his teammates.