San Francisco – The Warriors recorded their fifth straight win after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 104-100. The Mavericks seven-game winning streak ended at Chase Center for the TNT affair. Golden State’s head coach Steve Kerr talked pregame about the importance of winning ever game.
“Yeah, I mean winning four straight games on the road coming into tonight I think the team is performing well and responding to the situation that we’re in,” Kerr said. “Looking at the Play In and trying to not only make the Play In but improve our seeding as best we can. You never know, could even go higher than that, but every game’s important and we’re playing with a sense of urgency, which we need to.”
Andrew Wiggins led the Warriors with 23 points, posting 20-plus points for the 12th time this season, including three of the last four games. Draymond Green blocked Daniel Gafford’s shot with 1:30 remaining in the fourth. On the next possession Green made a layup putting the Warriors up by 8 points before Dallas rallied back with four points.
“Wiggs has been playing really well, really good two-way basketball for a while now,” said Kerr. “I just think he’s in a really good rhythm, he’s feeling good physically and playing at a high level. He was definitely connecting the game tonight in terms of the defense on Dončić and just overall energy leading to some really good offensive possessions as well.”
“I feel a lot better than before,” Wiggins said. “I feel like I am in a pretty good rhythm offensively and defensively. Our team is playing great basketball.
Every game is different. Steph (Stephen Curry) has a lot on his shoulders. What he does is amazing every night. That is the thing about Steph, even when he is not scoring the ball a lot, when his shots are not going in, he is still the most dangerous person on the court and attracts so much attention. I just do my part and do what I can do.”
Tonight marked the first time since 4/4/19 at LAL that Golden State won a game in which both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson played in and scored fewer than 15 points each.
The Warriors’ reserves outscored the Mavericks bench 39-13, marking the 52nd time on the season their bench has outscored the opponent’s. The team shot a season-high 100% from the free throw line, making all seven attempts (prev. 95%, 12/16 vs. BKN).
“Initially just stepping up and make Kyrie (Irving) make a decision, “said Green on Gafford’s block shot. “If he’s going to shoot the ball, I’m in a spot where I can get a contest. But also knowing and understanding that Gafford is right there for the drop-off so I couldn’t over-commit. He dropped it off, if I’m honest I didn’t really expect to get the block, I just wanted to try to alter the shot. But was able to come up with a block.”
Chris Paul scored 14 points and hit clutch shots when needed. The second unit outplayed and outscored the Mavericks putting them up 83-74 in the third period. Golden State had six players in double figures, Moses Moody sank a season-high tying four 3-point baskets. Moody has made four threes in two of the last three games.
“Probably a little bit more aware and understanding like our coverages and trying to communicate early,” Paul said on the teams defense. “It’s funny, all season we sort of just been knowing where to be, just sometimes guys not there. I think we’re starting to understand that defense is what we got to be able to hang our hat on. The offense, we got some amazing shooters, and scorers, and whatnot but if we defend it opens everything else up.”
The Warriors won the team’s fifth-straight game, matching its longest winning streak of the season (done four times). It’s the longest active-winning streak in the NBA. Golden State trails the Mavericks 1-2 in the season series and play the fourth and final game in Dallas on Friday, April 5 (5:30 p.m. PDT).
The Warriors snapped the Mavericks’ seven-game winning streak, the longest opponent-winning streak the Warriors have ended this season (prev. six-game streak, 3/6 vs. MIL).
Golden State shot a season-high 100% from the free throw line, making all seven attempts (prev. 95%, 12/16 vs. BKN).
Up Next: The Warriors travel to Houston to face the Rockets on Thursday, April 4 at 5 p.m. PDT.
Photo by GSW/Twitter
