The Golden State Warriors started the season 3-0, winning all three games by double digits. Not only that, the two teams they’d played — Pelicans (twice), Rockets — were playoff teams last year, too. Granted, neither of those teams have looked their playoff selves so far this season (the Rockets did come from behind to knock of Oklahoma City on Monday), but part of that is due to the fact the Warriors are an unstoppable juggernaut created in a basketball lab and sent out to destroy the NBA.
Not satisfied with mere 20-point wins, the Warriors went out and demolished the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, 119-69. The plodding Grizz weathered the storm early, leading 22-21 after the first quarter, but the Warriors went on a 32-12 run to lead by 19 at halftime. The lead ballooned to 88-44 before interim head coach Luke Walton finally called off the dogs, relegating Steph Curry to the bench for the remainder of the game. The reigning MVP finished with a nifty stat line of 30 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals and fresh legs for Wednesday’s showdown with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Ten of those points, two of those steals and one of those assists came on these nasty plays in the third quarter:
Speaking of that third quarter, Curry dropped 21 points in the frame — his third 20-point quarter of the season. To put that in perspective, only one other player has done that this season, and last year’s season leader was Russell Westbrook, who did it four times. Meanwhile, the Warriors have won their four games by an average of 25 points, and appear to be on a completely different level than everyone else.
About John Ferensen