Warriors Take Care of Business Against Jazz

Nov 18, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) lays the ball up to the basket while Utah Jazz point guard Alec Burks (10) tries to block the shot during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

The Golden State Warriors played perhaps their easiest games of the year against the Utah Jazz on Saturday and Monday nights, taking care of business against a team that should beat.

A 98-87 victory over the Jazz (1-11) at Energy Solutions Arena capped off a sweep of the home-and-home for the Warriors (8-3), who have now won four straight games and are separating themselves from the .500 mark.

Stephen Curry led the way for the Warriors with 22 points, going 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. It was Curry who helped spark a tremendous second quarter for the Warriors where they outscored the Jazz 37-17. Curry and Klay Thompson both got going from 3-point range in the second, outscoring the Jazz in the quarter by themselves.

The Jazz trimmed a 23-point lead at halftime down to 13 at the end of the third quarter, as the Warriors’ offense went cold for a good five minute stretch that momentarily gave the Jazz a slimmer of hope. But the Warriors began the fourth quarter on a 12-4 run to push the lead back to 23, and they were able to coast to victory.

Injury Update

Curry suffered a hit to the head in the fourth quarter when he dove for a loose ball with Marvin Williams, and Williams wound up falling on top of Curry’s head while the Warriors’ guard was lying facedown on the ground. Curry stayed down for a bit, and eventually walked off the court into the locker room under his own power.

Afterwards, Curry told the media that he is “fine,” and just has a “pretty nasty headache.”

“I hadn’t had any kind of concussion episodes before, so when it first hit, it rung my bell pretty hard. I haven’t seen it on tape, but the way it felt, it was definitely pretty serious,” he told Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. “When you go from feeling to really good to getting your head smacked into the ground, it shocks you a little bit.”

It is unfortunate that Warriors fans were probably thinking, “At least it isn’t his ankles.”

Jermaine O’Neal, who suffered a right knee sprain and right groin sprain on Saturday night, did not travel with the team and is listed as day-to-day.

Tale of the Tape

Warriors

• Field Goals: 40.5% (32-79)
• 3-Pointers: 54.5% (12-22)
• Rebounds: 57
• Assists: 17
• Turnovers: 14

Jazz

• Field Goals: 39.5% (32-81)
• 3-Pointers: 46.7% (7-15)
• Rebounds: 40
• Assists: 18
• Turnovers: 10

Quote of the Day

Andrew Bogut (via Simmons):

"We’re building and we’re starting to get our identity, especially defensively. Whenever we guard on a consistent basis, we’re tough to stop."

Tweet of the Night

Good to Know

The last time the Warriors began the season with an 8-3 record, Harrison Barnes wasn’t even born yet.

What’s on Tap

The Warriors will have a tough task at home on Wednesday as they take on the Grizzlies, a team that routed them earlier this season.