Warriors keep rolling, improve to 22-0

There is no stopping the Golden State Warriors, who improved to 22-0 after accounting for the Brooklyn Nets 114-98 in the National Basketball Association. They led by as many as 17, at 26-9, and closed the first with a 30-16 lead. In a recipe that seemed nearly too familiar, Stephen Curry took over when it counted most, with dazzling ball handling, crisp passes, efficient shooting, and laser-like accuracy from three-point range. They held a 57-42 lead late in the first half but settled for a 57-54 lead after giving up 12 straight points.

The Nets led 76-72 at the 2:44 mark of the third, and that was when the game changed.

Down 75-70 with 3:10 left in the third, the Warriors were soon ahead 96-85 early in the fourth.

Klay Thompson had 21 points and three rebounds, Draymond Green scored 22 points and was a rebound away from a double-double and Andrew Bogut (back) finished with zero points after missing Saturday’s game against the Toronto Raptors. He was part of the “We Believe” Warriors and won back-to-back Slam Dunk contests. As the season goes on, guys like Tony Parker and Tim Duncan may not be able to give as much on the offensive end, but they will always be steady defenders.

Miami was also led by point guard Goran Dragic, who had 17 points and eight assists.

Along with the other starters, Russell and Randle did not play in the fourth quarter because the Warriors led by 34 points after three quarters. He doesn’t have to go out there and do it all of the time.

Following the Warriors’ 22nd straight win on Sunday night against the Nets, the question remains: when will the Warriors lose? “When he needs to he can and when he doesn’t need to he takes a backseat to those guys”. Great players don’t become great overnight. “I don’t know”, Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said.

The Warriors are now 21-0, officially the best start ever for a professional sports team.

“When you see a team doing it at that level”, Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Friday, “it sets a great example for teams across the league, including ourselves. We’ve got a good bond like that”. “We were transitioning easy buckets for them, and they got the lead back”. Which is insane, because the closest I’ve come to seeing him is on a cable-sports network wrap-up show, when he pulls up and drains a 30-footer as casually as a stadium vendor returns change from a sawbuck.

Green made two free throws for a 104-102 Golden State lead with 1:25 to play as Golden State held off Toronto down the stretch.

Regardless, more significant factors arguably are the fundamental skill of the team itself and, over time, ability of its biggest contributors to avoid any injuries that might sideline them.

The Spurs rank first in opponent scoring per game and are fourth in team rebounding. If they survive it unscathed the rest of their schedule plays out favourably.

“We battled and scratched and clawed, but they just stayed with their game until they overwhelmed us later on”. You just stick with the process of how we play and not deviate from that. Then again, we might be watching a team unlike any other in league history. Every time we step onto the court our confidence is high. “It’s pretty special. I think we’ll appreciate it later”. I felt like we had a letdown because of that in the second quarter.

Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry went toe-to-toe with Curry throughout most of the game.