Golden State Warriors show true grit in loss in Dallas

Posted: 11/27/2013 08:16:59 PM PST

Updated: 11/27/2013 08:21:07 PM PST

DALLAS -- In the grand scheme of things, especially considering what its been through, Golden State's 103-99 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night was a step in the right direction.

The Warriors were playing their second game in as many nights, are still without one of their best players in Andre Iguodala and registered what was far from their 'A' game. Still, somehow, they scratched and clawed their way back into the game, time after time. They turned a blowout into a nail-biter.

They didn't have enough to get over the hump. Too many cyclinders not clicking. But based on how they played during their three-game losing streak last week, it looks as if the Warriors might be getting back to playing their style of ball.

That doesn't change that Golden State has lost four of five heading into Friday's showdown with Oklahoma City, which assuredly remembers the heart-breaking loss at Oracle Arena earlier this month. But it does bode well for their chances of working towards the top of the Western Conference.

Stephen Curry finished with 29 points and eight assists. David Lee had 20 points and 12 rebounds. Klay Thompson had 20 points.

It was a sloppy opening quarter for Golden State, which managed just 22 points in the first 12 minutes, nine by Lee. The Warriors offense was plagued by cold outside shooting (3 of 11 from outside the paint) and six turnovers.

Golden State's defense wasn't exactly on point, either. Poor rotations and missed assignments led to some open looks by Dallas, which led by as much as eight in the first quarter.

Monte Ellis stripped Draymond Green on his pull-up and no one from the Warriors got back on defense, leading to a break-away dunk for Shawn Marion. Moments later, the Warriors failed to get back on defense again, turning a missed jumper by Green into another uncontested dunk by Marion.

Curry closed the quarter with a pull-up jumper, sending Golden State into the second quarter down 28-22. The Warriors shot just 42.9 percent with six turnovers in the opening quarter, but it didn't get better in the second.

The listless, uninspired play continued as the Mavericks built on their lead.

The Warriors trailed by six after a three-point play by Jermaine O'Neal. But Dallas ripped off a 12-1 run. The game slowed down offensively for Golden State, which split two of four free throws, turned it over twice and missed a layup on its next five possessions.

The bad offense was compounded by suspect defense. Thompson lost complete sight of his man and Wayne Ellington cut back door for an open dunk, capping the Mavs' spurt and putting the Warriors' down 47-31.

Golden State closed the first half with a run to stay within range. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Curry changed the tone of the game. He then drove and set up a dunk for Lee, sending the Warriors into the locker room down 55-46.

That momentum carried into the third quarter. With Dallas up 59-48, the Warriors ripped off seven straight: a Lee layup, a Andrew Bogut dunk and a Curry 3. Golden State was down four with 8:05 left in the third quarter.

The Mavericks worked their lead back to nine, 73-64, after a tear-drop by big man DeJuan Blair at the 2:59 mark. But the Warriors scored five straight, capped with a Harrison Barnes jumper, to cut the deficit to four with 2:04 left.

But the Mavericks closed the third quarter with a 9-2 run. Golden State managed a missed 3, two turnovers and a pair of free throws their last four possessions. Dallas was 4 of 5 on its last four possessions, including a buzzer-beating runner by rookie Shane Larkin.

Golden State scored the first five of the fourth, cutting the deficit to 82-76. But the Warriors went nearly three minutes without a point, paving the way for a 10-0 Mavericks run -- six coming from a three-point play and a 3-pointer from Dallas reserve Jae Crowder.

The Warriors trailed 92-76 with inside of nine minutes left in the game. But they had one last run in them.

Down 99-82, Thompson hit a 3-pointer to start a Golden State rally. The Warriors defense held Dallas scoreless over the 3:57 as they chiseled away at the deficit. A four-point possession -- a technical free throw followed by a Thompson 3 -- cut the Mavericks' lead to 99-93. Curry followed with a jumper at the 2:34 mark to cut it to four and force a Dallas timeout.

But Golden State managed only free throws the rest of the way.

For more on the Warriors, go to Marcus Thompson's blog at www.ibabuzz.com/warriors. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/gswscribe.

FRIDAY'S GAME Warriors (9-7) at Oklahoma City (10-3), 5 p.m. CSNBA

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