Post game double OT thread: Klay goes for 54, Looney hits game winner!
Every now and then, you stumble into an absolute gem of a game. So it went tonight, as the Golden State Warriors needed not one, but two overtimes to knock off the Atlanta Hawks. Just an incredibly gritty showing from a Warriors team that is missing a lot of it’s top players - and also a lot of their middle, and marginal players as well.
After a big first half, the Warriors went dead in the water as the Hawks clawed back into the game with a 42-25 3rd quarter. But some late heroics from Golden State forced a couple of overtimes and then ended it with a Kevon Looney tip in, off multiple efforts. Could be a turning of the tides, as the Warriors had been 1-13 in vertime dating back to November 2018 before tonight.
First, the team even getting to OT was a miracle. As one commenter pointed out in the game thread, this designed shot for Klay would have only been a two, had it gone in. Instead, it bobbles around a bit before getting picked up by Donte Divincenzo.
The overtime periods weren’t especially pretty. Trae Young was living at the free throw line, Jordan Poole was out of rhythm all night, but in the end, it counts as win.
Wow.
I’ve got to go yell at the walls some more. But allow me to leave with some quick notes here.
Looney’s stat line is as impressive as he was tonight. He had some real nice offense and defense, but it will (rightly) be his rebounding that gets most of the coverage. He ends with 14 points, 21 rebounds, and five assists. That is, not surprisingly, a new career high in rebounds.
DiVincenzo was a force tonight. Especially when the team is this short-handed, it’s critical for role players to play like main cogs. DDV did that tonight. Really nice all around game.
PBJ looked real nice too in limited minutes. He had an excellent early combination of plays where he made a three, got a defensive stop, then breazed in for a Dr. J finger roll:
Check out the box score. Heavy, heavy minutes, but it’s a well earned win for a team that is starting to build serious momentum:
Klay’s last 3 games: 38 ppg 50/46 splits 65.5 TS% 63.9 eFG% It does feel as if he’s finally getting his legs under him. Less leaning, off-balance shots as of late.I wonder what Klay’s conditioning program was this summer and if he changed it because he feared getting injured again. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the shot inconsistencies and mental errors were from exhaustion, especially given how much he moves off-ball.
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As always, we will be back with more DNHQ coverage tomorrow. What a wild ride this season has been!
This is why you don’t say Klay is washed at the beginning of the season, especially after truly taking the off-season off.
Skeleton crew is concerning though. Can’t remember the last time the team was this shorthanded…Steph’s rookie year maybe?
What is with the criminal lack of Looney merchandise in the team store? 2 Nike Jerseys and that IT. Is a Kevon Looney T-Shirt too much to ask for?