Final Score: Warriors lose Draymond Green and the game vs Spurs, 89-75

The wounded Golden State Warriors were rebuffed 89-75 by another ailing Western Conference power, the San Antonio Spurs. The biggest takeaway from this game was Draymond Green leaving with a pelvic contusion.

This game was hotly contested until midway through the fourth quarter. That’s when Lamarcus Aldridge, the only current All-Star who wasn’t covered in ice, took over. Aldridge finished with a commanding double double: 33 points and 12 rebounds. Quinn Cook valiantly fought back, yet again proving he’s legit with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

First Half

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s teams are used to playing without their big guns, whether by injury or pure mind games. The Warriors? Not so much. This showed pretty early as the Spurs out-executed the Warriors on both ends for a double-digit lead. That is, until Cook got splashy.

In this battle of role players, both teams played to a relative statistical tie in the first half. Both squads shot about 41%, had 7 turnovers, and made 8 free throws. The biggest difference? The Warriors shot for 1-for-12 from three point range in the first half, while the Spurs shot 5-of-11.

Big note: Draymond Green was injured defending the rim from a Danny Green drive. “Green on Green” crime this close to St. Patrick’s Day truly troubles me. Anywho, after trying to play through it, the Defensive Player of the Year hobbled to the locker room holding his midsection. This would mean, in the second half, the Warriors would be forced to wrassle a playoff-thirsty Spurs team without their four golden All-Stars. Damn.

Spurs 49, Warriors 41

Second Half

With their historic offensive firepower sitting in street clothes, the injury-riddled champs slowed the game down and focused on stifling defense. The Spurs offense went straight into the toilet. Meanwhile, the Warriors offense was basically Cook or Andre Iguodala directing traffic, while their teammates orbited around them, screening and back door cutting, without much outside shooting. It was like watching the highest level of YMCA basketball possible.

Yet somehow at the end of the quarter, there was Kevon Looney hitting a desperation fadeaway to put the Dubs up 63-61 going into the final period. Huh?!

The fourth quarter had the intensity of a championship game in a highly competitive church league. The Spurs methodically fed Aldridge, and he proved quite a handful without Green patrolling the paint. Aldridge’s 19 points in in the 4th avalanched the dizzied Dub reserves. The Warriors would be outscored 28-12 for the quarter.

Moving On

Wow, what a rock fight. Still, it was riveting; kind of like watching two angry sea-lions chest bump each other during mating season.

The Warriors have championship pride that goes deeper their headline dominating superstars, and they battled tonight folks. Hats off to the Spurs for getting the W, it sure would be fun seeing them in the first round of the playoffs if it shakes out that way.