It was an electric scene at the Chase Center on Saturday night as the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks clashed in their final showdown of the season. Back in March, the Warriors were able to win on the road thanks to 28 points from Stephen Curry but the Knicks were on a mission to shut down the 2x MVP in their rematch tonight.
While the Knicks were without Jalen Brunson tonight, they still managed to come out swinging in the first quarter, matching the Warriors with a 31-point box score after the first 12 minutes. Throughout the game, both teams traded baskets and neither was able to establish a significant lead. In the end, the Warriors were able to outlast the Knicks to win the game by three (97-94) and move up to 14-1 with Jimmy Butler in the lineup.
Steph Curry was on fire tonight with 28 points, seven rebounds, and five assists on 8-20 shooting. Moses Moody finished with 18 points, one rebound, and one assist on 7-14 shooting. In 33 minutes, Jimmy Butler had 11 points, six rebounds, and seven assists on 3-11 shooting.
For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns was the leading scorer with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists on 12-21 shooting. OG Anunoby added 23 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and three steals on 7-15 shooting while Miles McBride dropped 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists on 8-17 shooting.Â
As the third seed in the East, the Knicks are having a pretty good season overall but tonight they just had no answers for a Warriors team that is completely locked-in. As winners of seven straight, Golden State is playing on another level, powered by the leadership of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler.
Draymond Green Closed The Game
In what has been the hottest stretch of the season for the Warriors, contributions have come from all across the roster. In this game, while Draymond Green only scored nine points, they came at arguably the most important times.
Dray’s confidence (and a fake handoff) allowed him to soar into the lane for a clutch layup with 25 seconds left, after which he pulled the infamous ‘night night’ celebration to troll the Knicks one last time. Then, he rushed back on the other end to play lockdown defense to close the game.
Green also knocked down two clutch free throws to secure the win down the stretch. He was probably the last player New York expected to ice the game, but he’s capable of stepping up on offense whenever he’s needed, and it makes the Warriors that much more unpredictable in the clutch.
Championship Defense Has Returned
The catalyst behind the Warriors’ hot play has been their defense, which ranks as the second-best in the league since Butler’s arrival. In this game, the Dubs continued their impressive defensive play by holding the Knicks to just 94 points on 43.0% shooting (37.7% in the final three quarters).
The Warriors also forced 16 turnovers, which converted into 19 points. With Draymond Green at center, plus Santos and Butler on the wing, the Warriors made up for their shooting woes with active and tenacious defense that forced the Knicks out of their zone.
It remains to be seen if this defensive play is sustainable for the Warriors, but it’s certainly possible with Butler and Draymond leading the way. While the team is still relatively small in size, they have made up for it on the other end, which has significantly widened their margin for error.
Warriors Are Getting To The Line
One of the biggest changes to the Warriors since Butler’s arrival is their rate of free throw attempts. The Warriors were one of the worst teams in the league at drawing fouls and getting to the line, but now they are consistently outshooting their opponents from the charity stripe.
Against the Knicks, Golden State went 18-22 from the line (81.8%), compared to the Knicks who went 11-13 on free throws. Curry and Butler alone shot 12-13 from the line, more than the Knicks did through the whole game.
The Warriors’ generating more fouls adds diversity to their offense and allows them to score in ways other than just relying on Steph Curry to make shots or create plays. It also helps ensure some much-needed rest for the Warriors’ big three, who are all on the wrong side of 30.
In the Wild West, there are no guarantees about what might happen between April and June, but the Warriors have to be feeling good about where they stand right now. It wasn’t long ago that they were near the bottom of the standings, but the Jimmy Butler trade has unlocked something special and things may never be the same.
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