SAN FRANCISCO -- New month, new Warriors? At least that's what the scoreboard read Saturday night at Chase Center.
The Warriors snapped their four-game losing streak with a huge 111-107 win against the Utah Jazz after outscoring the Jazz 66-49 in the second half. Early on, the Warriors struggled with the same issues that have hampered them as of late, turning the ball over too often, fouling too much and going cold from the field.
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Everything changed after halftime, though.
The Warriors rode an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter against a Jazz team they very well could face to open the playoffs. This was a statement win for the Warriors without Steph Curry, and the victory clinched a playoff berth for the Warriors after a two-year drought.
Jordan Poole dropped 31 points, scoring at least 20 points in his 16th straight game. Klay Thompson led all scorers with 36 and Andrew Wiggins quietly and efficiently scored 17 points, and was a game-high plus-26 in plus-minus.
Here are three takeaways from a much-needed Warriors win that improved their record to 49-29 on the season. Golden State holds a one-game lead over the Dallas Mavericks for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. The Jazz (46-32) now are three games behind the Warriors.
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3-Point Problem
The Warriors are without the greatest 3-pointer shooter of all time. That isn't the problem, though. It's how Golden State has been defending from deep lately.
And just how often they give up wide-open looks from downtown.
That again was the case against the Jazz, and it started right away. The Jazz made four of their first six attempts from beyond the arc.
They had 12 3-pointers through the first three quarters, but went cold in the fourth and couldn't close out the Warriors as Golden State couldn't miss.
Once the Warriors started closing out on open shots from long range and stopped over-collapsing in the paint, it was a whole new ballgame for them and the Jazz.
More GP2 The Better
From the court to the crowd, you can feel the energy that Gary Payton II brings to the Warriors -- especially when he's active on defense.
Against the Jazz, he was active offensively and defensively, showing what an impact he can make. That impact should be a major factor come playoff time.
Payton isn't a perfect player against every team, but looks like the answer a lot of the time when opponents have score-heavy guards. That could be true against some of the best in the West.
When the Warriors weren't attacking, Payton was going to the basket. When they needed a defensive stop, he was there. He even made two 3-pointers, too.
Over 22 minutes, Payton was a plus-5 while scoring 10 points to go with five assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. The more minutes, the merrier.
Cold Klay, Hot Klay
It's clear when watching Klay that he still is one of the greatest catch-and-shoot players the game has ever seen. It's just everything else right now. At least that's how it feels a large chunk of the time.
Thompson through the first three quarters of the game scored 24 points, but far too often was forcing bad shots and even stopping momentum for the Warriors. He then scored 12 in the fourth quarter while going 4-for-7 on 3-pointers.
Klay can still get hot in a hurry. He still is forcing it at times too. But once he gets going, good luck stopping him.
