Warriors wake up in dominant fourth quarter to beat Cavs
Golden State outscored Cleveland 36-8 in the fourth quarter to pull out
a 104-89 win
>CLEVELAND, OHIO – NOVEMBER 18: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State
Warriors reacts after scoring during the first half against the
Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on November 18, 2021
in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees
that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to
the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo
by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
>CLEVELAND, OHIO – NOVEMBER 18: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State
Warriors reacts after scoring during the first half against the
Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on November 18, 2021
in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees
that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to
the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo
by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
By EVAN WEBECK | ewebeck@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: November 18, 2021 at 6:56 p.m. | UPDATED: November 18, 2021
at 9:10 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/11/18/warriors-wake-up-in-dominant-fourth-quarter-to-beat-cavs/

CLEVELAND — The Warriors have made their mark in the third quarter this
season but waited until the fourth to jostle control away from the
shorthanded Cavaliers Thursday night at Rocket Mortgage Arena.

Playing against a Cleveland team missing four of its top six scorers,
Golden State trailed by 10 entering the final period but was able to
pull away for a 104-89 win. The Warriors held Cleveland to eight points
in the fourth quarter, a mark exceeded individually by Stephen Curry and
Damion Lee.

Curry and Lee fueled a fourth-quarter burst that was driven by Golden
State’s suffocating defense, providing the separation the Warriors were
seeking all night. The two guards combined for 29 points — 20 by Curry,
nine from Lee — in the fourth quarter as the Warriors erased an 81-71
deficit entering the final period.

[video: Kerr asked his team to win 4th quarter; they ende...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQOpkQYAVuU]

“We got our butts kicked for three quarters,” coach Steve Kerr said
afterward.

A conversation in the huddle prior to the fourth quarter was the
inspiration for the 36-8 final period. Curry started the quarter with
consecutive 3-pointers that kicked off his second 20-plus point quarter
of the season.

“We talked about winning the 12 minutes,” Kerr said. “Obviously with
Steph on the floor, you always have a chance. … When he made those two
3s, immediately it was a game again. … Just a hell of a fourth quarter.”

Curry finished with a game-high 40 points, complemented by Draymond
Green’s season-high 14 assists.

But the majority of the game was dominated by a patchwork of Cavaliers.

The Warriors used two runs with big contributions off the bench to eke
out a win.

It was Lee and Curry who stepped up in the fourth quarter, but Gary
Payton II and Nemanja Bjelica provided the spark to pull the Warriors
out of an initial 10-0 hole.

In one of his best games since joining the Warriors, Bjelica scored 14
first-half points, and Golden State outscored Cleveland by 22 with him
on the floor, bested only by Lee’s plus-30. Kerr said Bjelica “kept us
afloat” in the first half.

The tall ball Cavs exposed some flaws in the small ball Warriors, even
in a losing effort.

Cleveland outrebounded the Warriors 56-38 and by 13-5 on the offensive
glass.

“I thought Cleveland was fantastic on the glass, beating us to every
loose ball,” Kerr said.

Golden State fell into holes of 10-0 and 22-9, only regaining momentum
enough to briefly pull ahead before allowing the Cavs to climb back and
take a 54-51 lead into halftime.

Cleveland was rarely missing and cleaning up the glass when it did. The
Warriors were being nearly doubled up on the board, 31-16, at halftime.
Cleveland got second chances on seven possessions and converted them
into 12 points.

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The Cavs shot 52.6% from the field in the first quarter but only went
downhill from there, culminating in a fourth quarter in which they were
limited to 2-of-14 (14.3%) and outscored by 28 points.

It was only the third time in franchise history the Warriors have
outscored an opponent by at least 28 points in a quarter. The Cavs’
eight-point output was the lowest of any team in the NBA during any
quarter this season.

Simply, they started missing, stopped getting the rebound when they did,
and that allowed the Warriors to take control, at last, in the final
quarter.

--
Evan Webeck | Reporter
Evan Webeck covers high-school sports on the field and beyond — and a
little bit of everything else — for the Bay Area News Group. A Pacific
Northwest native and graduate of Arizona State, Evan has previously
worked for The Seattle Times, MLB.com and Sports Illustrated.

Allen wrote:
> Warriors wake up in dominant fourth quarter to beat Cavs
> Golden State outscored Cleveland 36-8 in the fourth quarter to pull out
> a 104-89 win
) > By EVAN WEBECK | ewebeck@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
> PUBLISHED: November 18, 2021 at 6:56 p.m. | UPDATED: November 18, 2021
> at 9:10 p.m.
> https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/11/18/warriors-wake-up-in-dominant-fourth-quarter-to-beat-cavs/
>
>
>
> CLEVELAND — The Warriors have made their mark in the third quarter this
> season but waited until the fourth to jostle control away from the
> shorthanded Cavaliers Thursday night at Rocket Mortgage Arena.
>
> Playing against a Cleveland team missing four of its top six scorers,
> Golden State trailed by 10 entering the final period but was able to
> pull away for a 104-89 win. The Warriors held Cleveland to eight points
> in the fourth quarter, a mark exceeded individually by Stephen Curry and
> Damion Lee.
>
>

It really doesn't seem fair when the other team is missing so many players.

>
> The tall ball Cavs exposed some flaws in the small ball Warriors, even
> in a losing effort.
>
> Cleveland outrebounded the Warriors 56-38 and by 13-5 on the offensive
> glass.
>
> “I thought Cleveland was fantastic on the glass, beating us to every
> loose ball,” Kerr said.
>

The Warriors have played taller teams before. Why was Cleveland so
effective rebounding?

--Robin