NBA scores: Without Steph Curry, Warriors hang on to jazz

Tuesday night at the Chase Center was a match for card -traded teams testing their depth. In one corner, the Golden State Warriors, already without Daymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga, and gave a late battle when Steph Curry was scratched about two hours before tip. In the second corner, Utah JazzWithout core players Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, Jordan Clarkson and Walker Kessler.

It was still a game that Warriors needed to win, given that they were at home, against a 10-win team on the back of a back-to-back. And – Spoiler Alarm! -Wind they did, beat Utah 114-103 to return to .500.

But like so many of their recent games, Warriors dug himself an early hole as they were unable to stop a sneaking hot jazz overrun in the early things. Within minutes, Utah had built a 17-7 lead, and Steve Kerr needed a timeout to speak something sensible to a non-wht-in-every-way start five of Dennis Schröder, Buddy Hield, Andrew Wiggins, Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Timeout worked. Moody was buried on a three straight out of timeout, made all three free kicks and then after a stop drained a three on the next possession. And then it was turned on.

Golden State’s violation found its groove, even though they were still pretty slurry and the defense began to put the clamps on. A three of Brandin Podziemski closed a 12-2 race and gave Dubs their first 25-23 lead in the same quarter, where they had drawn with double digits. At the end of the frame it was tied 27-27.

It was the second quarter when Warriors really started and it didn’t take long. They opened the quarter of a 9-0 race that included a highlight of the Eurostep transition can of Quinten Post, continuing to serve fans. It was part of another 12-2 race as Warriors built a double-digit lead of their own.

However, the jazz would not disappear, with Collin Sexton put the team on his shoulders and held Utah in it. But Warriors did an excellent job of transforming defense into offense: At the break, they had transformed eight Utah sales into 16 points, while jazz had earned only four points out of the Golden State’s five gifts. Despite 20 points from Sexton, Dubs led 62-51 during the break.

But the third quarter began ominous. Just a few minutes in, Schröder hit the pile after a terrible look and needed help getting up and getting back to the dressing room. It looked like he had potentially suffered a serious knee or leg injury, but fortunately he returned later in the quarter.

Apart from that, not much happened in the frame. The jazz did not go away, but Warriors did not fold. It felt like it was a 10-point game for the whole quarter, and Warriors led 92-83 when we went to the fourth.

And then the danger struck. Jazz played with hustle and heart to start the quarter, and Warriors began to get slurned again. What had been a double-digit lead was a five-point lead with just under nine minutes left, then a four-point lead with just under eight minutes left, then a two-point lead with just over seven minutes left, then a-point game , as we approached the halfway brand. It was a 13-3 race marked by a strong Utah overgrazing and a golden state violation that sat down on bad shots.

But Warriors dug deep after an answer they needed hard, and the defining order of the game came a few minutes later, with just over four minutes left. Wiggins drove to a four-point lead, drove to the hanger and tried a jerk, but was sent away. The long rebound was chased down by Gui Santos who got the ball to Moody. Moody, who saw a defense that encrypted to be put, the paint attacked ugly and made a brilliant passport to find wiggins under the hanger where he fell the ball in, was buried and finished the three-point game. A few stops later and podziemski-der dominated stretches in the second half-lowered a corner three to make it a 10-point lead and effectively finish the game.

This sequence was symbolic of the victory because Warriors dominated the offense glass and grabbed a total of 16 offensive rebounds (including five of Looney, four of Santos and three by mail) against only five for jazz. It combined with the Outscoring Utah 26-8 in points off turnover and drainage of 17 triangles allowed Dubs to overcome a massive 56-32 deficit in points in the paint.

Schröder led Warriors with 23 points, while Podziemski added 20, Wiggins 19, Moody 15 and Post 10. Perhaps most impressively combined Warriors to turn the ball just nine times all night.

Now the challenge is getting harder as Warriors offer Oklahoma City Thunder to the city on Wednesday night. Thunder not only has NBA’s best record of 37-8, but has had two just out of days, while Warriors will try to find their legs on the second half of a back-to-back.

On the bright side, Curry is expected to return to that game, so take your popcorn.