For the second straight game, the Golden State Warriors’ defense thwarted the opposition in the fourth period.
Dubs kept the Indiana Pacers with just eight of 18 shots in the final period and won 111-107.
The Golden State did the same thing in their victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday and smothered Indiana with the game at stake. The Dubs were active in defense throughout the game and were quick to rotate. They were able to fall on the Pacers snipers, holding Indy at seven of 29 shots beyond the arc.
As usual, Stephen Curry led with 24 points, but it was not a one-man show. The Warriors had five other players scored in double digits, including Eric Paschall, who scored 13 points, six of them in the last quarter.
Paschall had a season of ups and downs, but like teammate Kelly Oubre Jr., he is at his best when he is attacking the hoop and not settling for jumpers. Pachall was aggressive in the final period and featured three big-boy buckets, including this one who extended the lead to six with 1:14 remaining.
Dubs were cold outside, connecting in just 19.2% of their background attempts, but scored 66 points in the painting, 22 more than the season average. Attacking the ball and playing well defensively has been a recipe for success for the team.
Since the first day of the month, Golden State occupies third place in the percentage of opponents’ field goals and sixth in the defensive classification, a major turnaround since the beginning of the season.
It was a slow start for the Warriors. They missed their first six attempts at 3 points and lost by 12-9 six minutes of play. But Golden State recovered for a 14-7 run to get back in the game and maintained a 25-22 lead after one.
The Warriors’ defense was on point again. They did a great job of challenging Indiana’s 3-point attempts, holding the Pacers with just three of 14 pitches deep. Unfortunately, Golden State also had external difficulties, hitting just 13.3 percent in the first half.
Despite playing on Tuesday, the Warriors didn’t look tired, matching Indiana’s energy in the first 24 minutes, with the Pacers gaining a 58-56 lead for the break.
The fights of both teams with external shots continued for the third, combining to go three to 14 beyond the arc. But Golden State did a good job attacking the rim during the quarter, scoring 20 of its 28 points in a mix of buckets inside the paint and free throws. The Dubs achieved an 84-80 lead in fourth place, where they managed to hold on to victory.
Golden State has improved to 18-15 and is only one game away from the fifth game of the Western Conference.
Next: The Warriors will have a chance of revenge by receiving the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.