Game Report: Warriors bounceback in style

What a difference 24 hours can make; after suffering an embarrassing annihilation the day before against Milwaukee, the Golden State Warriors dished out their own punishment against a hapless Chicago Bulls on Friday.

It was evident from the opening minutes that this was a different-looking Warrior outfit, even without Klay Thompson, Gary Payton II and the ongoing absence of Draymond Green. After producing the worst three-point shooting league-wide across the last ten games, the Dubs kickstarted themselves by knocking down their first three from deep.

The Golden State Warriors found their mojo again offensively, scoring a season-high 138 points in a commanding 42-point victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Golden State’s offense was firing on all cylinders, capitalizing on lackluster Chicago defense that was labeled by Jeff Van Gundy as ‘soft’. It wasn’t a monumental, explosive bounceback from Stephen Curry, nor any individual player, but rather a well-rounded team performance that’s been a staple of the Warriors’ success.

Andrew Wiggins was the main aggressor in the first half, a combination of threes and some strong moves at the basket helping him to 20 points. Provided with another starting opportunity with Thompson and Payton out, Jordan Poole contributed 15 while Jonathan Kuminga exploded off the bench with 12 first half points.

The Warriors as a team finished the half with 78 points, breaking the game open with a 41-19 second quarter to open up a 31-point lead. According to ESPN’s coverage, the 70-point first half  turnaround was the largest in back-to-back games since the 1954-55 season.

The onslaught continued in the third, with Chicago unable to produce the increased competitiveness the Warriors did against Milwaukee. Curry began to heat up a little before he and other experienced heads were afforded the luxury of sitting for the last period.

Even with the result beyond doubt, Warriors fans were treated to some more magic from the high-flying Kuminga who undoubtedly had his most complete game at the NBA level. He finished the game as the Warriors leading scorer, ending with 25 points on 10-12 shooting to go with three rebounds, three assists and three athletic blocks.

He finished as one of six Warriors to score double digits, with more contributions coming from Otto Porter Jr. (seven rebounds, six assists, and five steals), Nemanja Bjelica (11 rebounds and seven assists) and Andre Iguodala (four steals in under 11 minutes).

As questions started to surround the Warriors’ recent form, the 138-96 win reasserted their standing in a league where the Bulls sit atop the eastern conference.

With their four-game road trip finishing in Minnesota on Sunday, a win would see them end with a respectable 2-2 record following a shaky start against the Grizzlies and Bucks.