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For the second game in a row, the Golden State Warriors’ defense thwarted opposition in the fourth quarter.
The Dubs held the Indiana Pacers to just eight of 18 shots in the final period for a 111-107 victory.
Golden State did the same in their win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday and smothered Indiana with the game in play. The Dubs were active on the defensive end throughout the game and were quick in their rotations. They were able to get out on the Pacers shooters, holding Indy to seven of 29 shots from beyond the arc.
As usual, Stephen Curry led the way with 24 points, but it wasn’t a one-man show. The Warriors have five other double-digit players, including Eric Paschall, who had 13 points, six of which came in the last quarter.
Paschall has had a season of ups and downs, but just like teammate Kelly Oubre Jr., he’s at his best when he attacks the rim and doesn’t settle for jumpers. Pachall was aggressive in the final period and offered three big-boy buckets, including this one which extended the lead to six with 1:14 remaining.
The Dubs were icy from the outside, connecting on just 19.2% of their deep attempts, but scored 66 points in the paint, 22 more than their season average. Attacking the paint and playing well defensively has been the recipe for success for the team.
As of the first of the month, Golden State has placed third in opponent’s field goal percentage and sixth in defensive odds, a big turnaround since the start of the season.
It was a slow start for the Warriors. They missed their first six attempts by 3 points and were trailing 12-9 six minutes into the game. But Golden State rebounded to go on a 14-7 run to get back into the game and held a 25-22 lead after one.
The defense of the warriors was on point again. They did a great job defying Indiana’s 3-point attempts, holding the Pacers just three of 14 shots from deep. Unfortunately, Golden State struggled from the outside as well, shooting just 13.3% in the first half.
Although they played on Tuesday, the Warriors didn’t look tired, matching Indiana’s energy in the first 24 minutes as the Pacers took a 58-56 lead in the break.
Both teams’ struggles with the outside shot continued into the third, combining to go three-on-14 from beyond the arc. But Golden State did a good job attacking the rim during the quarter, scoring 20 of its 28 points from a mix of inside paint buckets and free throws. The Dubs took an 84-80 lead in the fourth, where they were able to hang on for the win.
Golden State improved to 18-15 and only sits one game in the fifth in the Western Conference.
Next up: The Warriors have a chance for revenge by hosting the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.
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