The Golden State Warriors had to ugly themselves up for 11 games.
Their beautiful, fast-paced offense that runs on space, precise cuts and splashes became stagnant and dehydrated. The Dubs’ league-leading 114 offensive rating shriveled to 105.9. Their pace fell from 103.94 (5th in the league) to 98.94 (17th) , and their three-point percentage fell to 33.6 percent since Stephen Curry’s injury.
And those struggles made them better.
While the offense labored and fell off, the Warriors brought out the ‘clamps’. During Curry’s absence, their defensive rating skyrocketed from seventh in the league at 101.7 to a league best of 98.7. The Warriors went 9-2 in this span.
The wins were ugly, but the manner in which they won was necessary.
During this stretch, the Warriors proved that they could beat you with hustle and grit on defense. They proved that they have depth and versatility. They also proved that they could win without Curry on the floor.
Even in all the muck of the past 11 games, there have been some beautiful performances. Check out the top performances from the stretch.
KEVIN DURANT: 5 BLOCKS VS CAVS AND 3 BLOCKS VS JAZZ
People are raving about Kevin Durant’s defense this season to DPOY levels. Surprise is the consensus regarding his level of play on D, and rightfully so. When fans and media think of KD, they think of his prolific scoring and nothing more. Until now.
Durant’s personal block party helped put the Cavs away on Christmas and helped the Warriors explode into another 42 point, third quarter rampage against Utah. Obviously, his offensive production will remain a topic but it was his defense that held the team down and that defense will state Durant’s claim for DPOY and first team all defense.
Next: Dub Rotation: The Warriors Have The Best Bench In The NBA
PATRICK MCCAW: 18 POINTS VS JAZZ
Your can’t help but to feel for this guy. After a solid rookie season, Patrick McCaw is weathering a sophomore slump.
He’s splitting minutes with Nick Young, and has struggled to find his footing offensively. However, McCaw crushed the hangups that’s been plaguing him and exploded with 18 points off the bench in the Warriors’ 126-101 rout of the Jazz.
Granted, McCaw is still searching for his jumper (he is shooting 31 percent from 3) but he didn’t hesitate to take the wide open lanes that the Jazz defense gave him. Inside the paint, McCaw hit 6 of his 7 shots which included a few and-1 opportunities. An encouraging breakthrough performance from the man that some call P-Nice.
Next: Golden State Warriors: Kevin Durant should be considered as a top MVP candidate
DRAYMOND GREEN: DOUBLE DOUBLE VS HORNETS
This game was the worst game of the stretch. However, it managed to show us how vital Green’s playmaking ability is.
Green dropped a career high 16 dimes and grabbed 11 rebounds. Like McCaw, Green seems to still be searching for his shot.
He scored eight points on 4-11 shooting, but the positive here is that he’s not hesitant to shoot. Green’s assists in a game where the Warriors lacked spacing and looked sluggish on offense were remarkable. Green was also active on defense totaling 5 blocks.
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JORDAN BELL: 20 POINTS/10 REBOUNDS VS LAKERS
It’s amazing to see Jordan Bell’s development during his rookie season. With Zaza Pachulia out of the lineup, Bell once again proved why he is the Dubs’ center of the future.
Bell’s steal and Eurostep in transition around Brandon Ingram displayed the second round pick’s raw talent. However, Bell earning the trust of coach Kerr in the closing minutes of this game tells us a lot about his development.
Bell held his own in crunch time minutes with Durant and Green to seal the Warriors’ 113-106 victory .
Aside from the clunkers against Denver and Charlotte, the Warriors proved that they can win ugly as well as running up beautiful numbers in blowouts.
Next: Dub Rotation: Bell Rings For Golden State Warriors
This 11 game stretch also reinforced Curry’s value. His spacing and the gravity that stretches defense gives the Warriors their identity on offense. Through it all, the Warriors thrived. Let me know who you all think is the Town’s Finest for the 11 game stretch.