Call them “Kings of Comeback”. That’s probably how they refer to the Warriors in Los Angeles.
After being defeated early and most of the night, they fought enough to make the title champions sweat and eventually evaporate.
The result was a shocking 115-113 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center on Monday, which raised the Warriors’ record to 7-6.
Steph Curry, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andrew Wiggins added 67 points to lead the attack, while Draymond Green added nine assists and eight rebounds.
Here are three lessons from a victory that the Warriors took from the mud.
Another character triumph for the warriors
They did it at the Los Angeles Clippers and now at the Lakers – the two teams that were supposed to fight for a spot in the NBA finals.
The Warriors overcame a 22-point handicap to defeat the Clippers on January 8 at the Chase Center. Tonight, they eliminated a 19-point deficit to bring down the other LA team.
This does not mean that Warriors are superior to Lakers or Clippers. They are not. Both teams are loaded, hence the high expectations.
The Warriors won despite Curry struggling with his shot and hitting 8 out of 22 pitches, 3 out of 12 from outside the arc. They won despite being defeated again, this time by 18 (50-32).
They won because they limited the Lakers to 31.6 percent pitches in the fourth period, while overcoming them by 34-21.
This is not something the Warriors want to make a habit of, but it is the best way to show the team’s resilience.
Is Oubre still kidding, or is it for real this time?
For four whole weeks, the Warriors and their fans waited for Kelly Oubre Jr. that they thought they were getting when the team acquired him in November. They got another glimpse of that guy in this game.
Oubre scored 23 points, the best of the season, in 9 of 18 shots, including 2 of 8 from a distance. He also had two steals and two blocks, finishing over-5 in 37 minutes – the only holder to finish in the most column.
He was feeling so good about himself at one point, after draining a 3-point basket in the second half, that he blew a kiss towards the Lakers’ big man Montrezl Harrell – and was hit by a technical foul for his exuberance.
Oubre had four games in which the attack was a key factor. Maybe giving him minutes with the second unit unlocked something.
The question that has not yet been answered is whether the 25-year-old ward can bring this up more consistently.
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Wiseman’s Beginner Mistakes
James Wiseman continues to be alternately sparkling and maddening. He was mostly maddening in this game.
Already marked with four fouls, he attempted a coast-to-coast foray at the start of the second quarter and dribbled straight for Lakers veteran, the great man Marc Gasol. To charge. Missing nº 5. For the reserve bank missing 9:37 to the end of the third quarter.
Wiseman often displayed the tunnel vision that resulted in five assists in his first 255 minutes in the NBA. As soon as the ball hit his hands, he looked to shoot. It didn’t matter which of your teammates was cutting or opening it in another way.
Wiseman finished with four points, three rebounds, five turns and five fouls in just 12:51. The Warriors were better with him on the bench.
The learning curve of a great 19-year-old man will be steep. This was expected. But Wiseman is beginning to repeat the same mistakes. This is something to keep an eye on.