SAN FRANCISCO – By the time the second quarter started Tuesday, the Warriors knew they could create some distance from the New Orleans Pelicans, who lost to the Sacramento Kings earlier in the night.
By the fourth quarter, they knew they knew only a win would keep them ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Maybe that was the wakeup call needed to snap the Warriors out of an early nap and send them on their way to a 136-125 victory over the plucky, rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder before a sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center.
The victory temporarily moves Golden State (42-38) into fifth place in the Western Conference, one-half game ahead of the Clippers (41-38) and Lakers (41-38) and a 1.5-games ahead of the Pelicans (40-39).
Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole led the offense, with Curry scoring a game-high 34 – 24 in the first half – and Poole pouring in 30, 18 of which came in the fourth quarter.
Here are three observations from a much-needed win for the Warriors:
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Another patented comeback
They dawdle and dance. They tease opponents coming into their building. They toy with the emotions of their fans.
But after all of that, the Warriors once again delivered.
Comebacks are a hard way to survive in the NBA, particularly in the final weeks of the season. But that’s how the Warriors are staying afloat.
Not until the third quarter did the Warriors summon the defense to slow the Thunder, limiting them to 41.7 percent shooting and forcing four turnovers off which they scored six points. Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga were savages on the glass, each grabbing five rebounds in the quarter.
The Warriors held OKC to 46 points in the second half, only 19 in the fourth quarter.
Poole, starting in place of Klay Thompson, handled the bulk of the offense, scoring his 21 second-half points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4 of 9 from distance and 8 of 8 from the line. He surpassed Chris Mullin to move into sixth place on the franchise list for 3-pointers.
Back to a bad, old habit
With the stakes ultra-high for the final home game of the regular season, surely the Warriors would take the floor with the ferocity of a pack of wolves and make an emphatic statement.
Well, no. Far from it.
The Warriors trailed by 10 (25-15) inside the first eight minutes. They gave up 39 points and trailed by three after one quarter. They did one better in the second quarter, giving up 40.
They went into the locker room at halftime trailing by 10 (79-69) as OKC shot 59.6 percent from the field, including 57.1 percent from deep while also making 15 of 21 free throws.
After building a first-half lead only three times in the first 20 games since the All-Star break, the Warriors were up 10 at halftime Sunday in Denver. A new day? Nope. Some old habits die hard.
Forgotten man provides a boost
Playing time has been rare this season for Moses Moody. But with Thompson a late scratch with soreness in his lower back, an opening was created.
Moody dove in and delivered. He came off the bench and played 26 minutes, the most time he has spent on the floor since Dec. 21, when he played 31 minutes while the Warriors were being blown out by the Nets in Brooklyn.
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Moreover, the second-year guard from Arkansas made good with his playing time, scoring 13 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, while also snagging five rebounds. He was plus-four for his efforts.
Moody had played a total of four minutes in the previous four games, two of which he never left the bench. Maybe this will earn another chance.