NBA: Golden State Warriors at Washington Wizards

Stephen Curry returns to the lineup after sitting a game out and giving fans a premature panic attack. The Warriors are across the country in the nation’s capital to face-off with John Wall and the Washington Wizards. Look for the two point guards to square off as they did during the All-Star game.

The Wizards are one of the best teams in the East, so this will be a great test for them on the road. They only have a three game lead on the Memphis Grizzlies, so if they plan on keeping the number one seed, then they must keep racking up the wins.

In case you didn’t catch the game, here’s our instant recap:

1st Quarter

The Warriors came out flat on both ends of the floor. For a team who had a disappointing loss to the Pacers, the Warriors showed no urgency. The Wizards got off to an early 9-0 lead and the Wizards looked ready to play. It took about three minutes, but Steph Curry and Klay Thompson finally got going and they cut the lead to one. Marcin Gortat was a monster in the paint and he kept leaking out on the fast break. He has eight points so far with about five minutes left in the first. The forgotten Marreese Speights woke up today and he gave the Warriors some much needed offense. He scored 8 points in less than two minutes and the game was tied at 26.  Curry looked good and he hit an amazing triple to give the Dubs a four point lead. John Wall hit a shot as time expired and the Warriors head to the second quarter with a 30-28 lead.

2nd Quarter

This is where the second unit comes in and tries to increase the lead. A Speights free throw and Leandro Barbosa three gave the Warriors and eight point lead. After early foul trouble, Draymond Green finally got going, scoring five straight points. The Wizards were scoring, so the lead stayed between 6-8 points. For the first seven minutes of the quarter the teams traded baskets, but neither team could string together stops. Gortat kept giving the Warriors problems inside and the Warriors scored just enough to keep their lead. However, the Wizards turned the ball over 17 times, so the lead should be much bigger. Kris Humphries scored four points in the final 27 seconds, including the final shot to beat the buzzard. The Warrior lead 54-51 going into the break.

3rd Quarter

Both teams came out firing on all cylinders out of the break. Paul Pierce had five quick points, but the Warriors had a three point party, they knocked down three straight triples. After two high scoring minutes, both teams cooled off, but the Warriors were able to grow their lead to six after yet another three from Draymond Green. Pierce knocked down another shot and John Wall began to heat up, scoring four straight points and the game was tied. Paul Pierce then hit five straight free throws and the Wizards only had a one point lead. Speights continued to shoot the ball well and he went for five straight points himself and now the Warriors led by two. Steph Curry then exploded to end the quarter, he scored nine consecutive points and the Warriors led by three going into the final period.

4th Quarter

The second unit came into the game in the fourth and it took them a little bit to get on the board. After three minutes, they finally got it going, but like the previous three quarters, they did enough just to maintain the lead. The Warriors finally got into a good rhythm and strung together a couple of buckets and the lead grew to six. A Garrett Temple triple cut the lead in half, but the Warriors quickly responded. They traded baskets, but Curry came through with a charging call on John Wall. Both teams were scoring, but the Wizards couldn’t get over the hump. It also didn’t help that Wall fouled Curry on a three point attempt, giving the Warriors an eight point lead.