Golden State Warriors salvaged element from Brooklyn blowout

After back-to-back losses by a combined 68 points against the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets last week, few would have expected the Golden State Warriors, playing without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins, to immediately respond with three-straight wins.

But that’s exactly what the reigning NBA champions have done, breathing life back into their season with a surprising win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Christmas Day, a scrappy victory over the Charlotte Hornets, then rallying in the fourth-quarter to defeat the Utah Jazz.

The Golden State Warriors’ second-half against the Brooklyn Nets may have spurred a resurgence, particularly among the team’s young players.

Last Wednesday’s clash with the Nets was over before it began — Golden State trailed by double-digits four minutes into the game, by 20 points after less than eight minutes, and then by an astonishing 40 at half-time.

Although it meant little at the time, the Warriors did manage to win the second-half by ten points. Golden State’s younger players got some confidence — James Wiseman had his first career 30-point game, Moses Moody had 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting, and Patrick Baldwin Jr. also had 17 with five three-pointers.

Just over a week later and the mood is a lot different. Speaking after his 11 points and game-high +13 plus-minus against the Jazz on Wednesday, Baldwin believes a resurgence was sparked from that second-half against the Nets.

"“I think that Brooklyn third-quarter as a whole helped us turn the corner a bit. We really started competing even though the score was wildly out of control. I think we turned the corner as a team and you’re seeing it through this home stretch and from the Grizzlies game all the way to tonight.”"

While Wiseman has unsurprisingly been much quieter on the offensive end, he has made giant strides on the defensive end over the past three games. Moody too has been a nice contributor for Steve Kerr across the three wins.

The 18-18 Warriors will be hoping that Baldwin’s comments are true, and that their three-game stretch of form can extend to the remainder of the season.