The Warriors are one-third of the way through the regular season and one day removed from their most satisfying win so far. They spent Friday night in Dikembe Mutombo mode, wagging a finger at the talented young Bucks of Milwaukee.
The result was a 105-95 victory that was built on defense and 3-point shooting, two components central to the success of the Warriors in recent seasons.
A lot went very right, a few things went horribly wrong and the Warriors walked out of Fiserv Forum feeling, once again, like the best team in the NBA.
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SIGN UP HERE For a closer look at win No. 18 and Game 27, we put it Under Review:
POSITIVE
The channeling of Draymond Green
It’s not unusual to see the Warriors growing defensive fangs when Draymond Green is healthy and engaged. He was out with a toe injury and it didn’t matter. With Durant and Iguodala setting a tone early, blanketing Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Warriors were scrambling from the jump, rarely allowing the league’s No. 1 scoring offense to breathe. Milwaukee shot 39.1 percent from the field, 17.9 percent beyond the arc and failed to score 100 for the first time this season.
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Watching from the bench, Green could not have been prouder.
POSITIVE
Splashing the sins away
The Warriors were outrebounded 54-43. They committed 18 turnovers, gifting the Bucks 26 points. So how did the Warriors overcome these deficiencies? They did it by savagely defending Milwaukee’s 3-ball and by launching more 3-pointers, 46, than they have in any game this season. They made 19 triples, outscoring the Bucks 57-21 from deep.
Should the Warriors, who rank 18th in attempts from deep but are tops in accuracy, fire a few more? The answer, in general, is yes -- but absolutely always when they’re dropping.
NEGATIVE
Bucks lock up Durant once again
Kevin Durant scored 11 points, his lowest output of the season. He shot 21.4 percent from the field (3-of-14) and 16.7 percent (1-of-6) from deep, his lowest accuracy figures this season. One of the greatest scorers in NBA history couldn’t shoot, snapping a 14-game streak with at least 20-points. The last time Durant failed to reach 20 points also came against Milwaukee on Nov. 8, when he scored 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
Durant is 0-2 this season in the battle of angular superstars, so he’ll have something to prove the next time he faces the Bucks.
POSITIVE
Mr. Clutch does his thing
There is this belief, with some merit, that the Warriors should play Andre Iguodala just enough in the regular season to ensure he’s ready for the playoffs. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry had shooting woes, so Iguodala took a season-high 10 shots, scoring a season-high 10 points. The Bucks are the best rebounding team in the NBA, so he grabbed a season-high eight. His defense was relentlessly disruptive.
There are rare regular-season games when Playoffs Andre emerges. This was one.