Golden State Warriors bench depth key reason for Game 1 blowout
The Golden State Warriors dismantled the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1, but when it comes to who dominated as the Dubs soundly won by 25 points, no real name comes to mind. No player in the game scored more than 21 points.
Sure, third-year standout guard Jordan Poole had a couple of insane layups and looked terrific for most of the game. All-Star starter Andrew Wiggins chipped in 19 as well. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry led the Dubs by scoring a game-high 21 points.
The Golden State Warriors won Game 1 by 25 points, winning 2 of the four quarters by double digits. They dominated largely due to their depth.
Those were a few of the highlights for the Warriors’ scoring output, but at the end of the day, it was their depth that propelled them. For Golden State, that’s a huge positive as their depth has, at times, been a weak point this postseason.
The Warriors put 7 players in double figures. If they do that consistently, there’s not a team in the NBA that can stop them.
Players like Kevon Looney, Draymond Green and Otto Porter Jr. really stepped up on the offensive end. The efficiency that they provided is just as important as them getting on the scoreboard. Those three combined to go 14-for-18 from the field, scoring 30 points.
The Dubs shot just 34.5% from deep yet were 36-for-53 from inside the arc, showing an ability to dominate in the paint as well. Looney’s ability to provide size without being a defensive liability was a huge reason Golden State was able to out-rebound Dallas by 16.
The Warriors are now 7-0 at home, so they took care of business. They’ll now want to keep that pressure on with a solid Game 2 performance as they’ll again be at the Chase Center before heading to Dallas for Game 3 and 4.
Considering the three splash brothers were just 5-for-18 from deep, there’s still potential for this team to improve its offensive play. While one or two of them dominating is wonderful to see, a full team win like this is just an impressive.