https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/steph-curry-draymond-green-sorcery-spurs/1719211/

Warriors punctuate road trip with Steph-Draymond sorcery

By Monte Poole

• Published March 31, 2024

The Warriors had been on the road for eight days when they straggled
into Frost Bank Arena in San Antonio on Sunday. This was the end of a
five-game trip, most of it in the eastern time zone, and the fatigue was
evident in the first half.

When the frisky young Spurs, with sensational rookie Victor Wembanyama
in the middle, shot better and posted a decisive rebounding advantage,
the Warriors headed into the locker room to ponder an eight-point deficit.

The halftime pondering, much of it by leaders Stephen Curry and Draymond
Green, landed upon highly productive adjustments.

It took a little more than three minutes for the Warriors to go on a
14-0 run, taking a six-point lead they never lost in crafting a 117-113
victory, punctuating the trip with a fourth consecutive win to put them
six games over .500 (40-34) for the first time this season.

“We did what we had to do,” Curry said. “The Minnesota game was a tough
way to start the trip, with [blowing a lead] in the fourth quarter. We
feel like we let one go.

“We responded well. The teams we played, those are the ones that you
have to win to keep yourself in the fight. We did that. No style points,
really, for any of it. But you get out of here with four wins and keep
the momentum rolling.”

Golden State’s third-quarter turnaround, yielding a 37-21 advantage, was
a direct result of the long and fruitful symbiotic relationship between
Green and Curry.

Green scored nine quick points that gave the Warriors the lead and,
moreover, built momentum that carried them through the quarter. His
second half: 14 points, seven assists, five rebounds, four steals and a
plus-16 over 17 minutes.

“I thought I needed to be aggressive,” Green said on NBC Sports Bay
Area’s “Warriors Postgame Live.” “A couple of those [drives] I got
turnovers in the first half. Vic was baiting me into passing and then
falling back. So, I knew coming out in the second half that if I drove
at him, I had to be aggressive, get into his body and negate his shot
blocking.

“And then on the defensive end, just doing what I do. Being active.”

Hyperactive, really. Green finished with 21 points, a team-high 11
assists, six rebounds, a season-high six steals and one block. He posted
a game-best plus-13 over 32 minutes.

“That was a defensive masterpiece,” coach Steve Kerr said.

“The way Draymond played was unbelievable,” Curry said. “Making his
presence felt. He does it on the defensive end, he does it with his
matchups, making those extra plays. Even tonight, on the offensive end,
being aggressive, taking what the defense gave him. That gave us a huge
boost.”

Curry’s second half was no less effective than that of Green, partly
because their minutes were almost perfectly aligned and partly because
he was the recipient of four of Draymond’s seven assists after halftime.

Playing 17 minutes in the second half, Curry scored 21 of his game-high
33 points, adding five assists, including two to Green.

“His family’s here,” Kerr said. “So, he got to spend Easter with the
whole family. They had breakfast with us this morning at the team meal,
and I think Steph was really extra motivated to play well in front of
his kids and [wife] Ayesha.

“He played a played a great game. There was a lot of pressure on him out
there. Tre Jones does a really good job defensively, but he found a way
to get free and knocked down some big shots for us.”

This victory, which pushed the Warriors’ edge over the Houston Rockets
to two full games in the race for the final berth in the Western
Conference play-in tournament, was a Curry-Green production. Others
contributed, notably Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson-Davis, but the two
veterans fought through fatigue to lead the way.

The Curry-Green sorcery is hand-and-glove, like two longtime dance
partners, with either one routinely finishing the basketball sentence
started by the other. It’s unmatched in today’s NBA and has been the
essential ingredient behind hundreds of Golden State victories over the
past 10 seasons.

With two weeks remaining in the 2023-24 NBA season, the playoffs clearly
in view and the Rockets trying to pose a threat, Curry and Green came
out in the second half with a must-win attitude that permeated the team
and made for a delightful trip back to the Bay Area.

“Fantastic trip, particularly after losing the first one in tough
fashion,” Kerr said. “For the guys to bounce back in four straight games
on the road, it's a sign of their competitiveness and their grit. And
even though it wasn't pretty, tonight they got it done.”

Look no further than this game to understand Curry‘s emotional reaction
last Tuesday in Miami when Green was ejected from the game. Draymond had
left Steph’s hand – and their bond – hanging. Abandoned in a time of need.