What we learned when Warriors’ win streak ended in Cavs loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
BOX SCORE
The Warriors’ lavish stroll through the NBA was interrupted Friday night by a public robbery in downtown Cleveland.
They were handed a 136-117 defeat under a volley of Cavaliers buckets that served as a stinging rebuttal to Golden State’s thrilling win over the defending champion Celtics two nights earlier in Boston.
Because this was a statement game of a different kind, as it rudely informed the Warriors that there will be certain matchups — especially this one — that will be problematic despite the depth of their roster.
The Warriors (7-2) won some respect in the second half, summoning grit and beating the Cavs 75-53, but there was far too much of a mountain to complete the climb against the only undefeated (10-0 ) team in the competition. .
Jonathan Kuminga scored 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, including an encouraging 3-of-7 from distance. Stephen Curry scored just 12 points and played just 24 minutes, just eight in the second half.
Here are three takeaways from a game that will give Golden State’s coaches and players plenty to evaluate before they head to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder on Sunday:
Blitz from the jump
Cleveland scored 13 seconds into the game, and the Warriors responded with a bucket of their own 27 seconds later to tie the game at 2-2. That was the last draw of the match.
More than four minutes passed before Golden State picked up another point, while the Cavaliers put up 18 points on 6-for-8 shooting, with a pair of free throws, to take a 20-2 lead with 7:33 remaining going in the first quarter. .
And it just got uglier. Cleveland followed its 39-point first quarter with a 44-point second quarter to take an 83-42 lead at halftime.
What happened? The Cavaliers’ barrage amounted to an avalanche of buckets by the most accommodating defense the Warriors have played this season. There were numerous breakdowns that led to easy buckets, slow closeouts on shooters, and some other element that had little to do with their defense.
Another factor was the return to bad habits of the past, allowing the Cavs 15 points on 13 turnovers in the first 24 minutes. Things got better later, as Golden State finished with 17 turnovers and still gave away 15 total points.
Surprisingly fragile on glass
The Warriors came into the game as the best rebounding team in the NBA, averaging 49.5 per game. It is a testament to their ability to overcome their relative lack of size with fundamentals and desires.
It didn’t matter. Not at all. Not on this evening.
The Cavaliers, who ranked 23rd in rebounding (42.1 per game), came out and grabbed rebounds like bullies taking lunch money from the helpless. No one on Golden State’s roster — not even fearsome glass-eater Kevon Looney — found more than two rebounds in the first half, as Cleveland built a whopping 25-13 lead.
Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell, at 6-foot-1, had four rebounds at the half. So did Golden State’s entire starting lineup. The Warriors rebounded well in the second half, but ultimately lost the rebound battle 43-41.
Being outmatched almost always opens the door to defeat, and being dominated practically guarantees it. This was one of the Warriors’ most reliable assets, which made this blow particularly painful.
Backcourt back at full strength
Brandin Podziemski, who missed the win in Boston due to illness, returned to active duty, as did De’Anthony Melton, who missed five games with a lower back strain.
Both combo guards were listed as “questionable” on the afternoon injury report before warming up for the game and were cleared prior to tip-off.
Podziemski, who left Washington during halftime of Golden State’s win over the Wizards on Monday, scored 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field (0-of-3 from beyond the arc). He provided a team high of seven rebounds, four steals and four assists. He played a team-high 27 minutes and was plus-7.
Melton, who last played in an Oct. 27 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center, finished with 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field, including 2-of-6 from distance. He added three assists and two rebounds. He finished plus-6 after 18 minutes.
Both moved well, but neither could save much in this defeat. They will be needed on Sunday against the Thunder, who sit atop the Western Conference.
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