Kenneth Faried has post moves and scores from there. He couldn’t consistently just more than a year ago, but he can now. Zach Lowe broke it down at Grantland but here is the key stat from that article: “Faried is shooting 56 percent on post-ups since the All-Star break.”
Now he’s got a game winner from there, too.
Golden State had been up by 20 points in the first half Thursday night and appeared on its way to a win that would have clinched the team’s playoff spot in the West, plus given them a chance to catch Portland for the five seed. The Warriors had something to play for... yet they didn’t close this game out at home. That has to make you question this team a little heading into the playoffs.
The Warriors led by 20 in the second quarter and were in control, but from there seemed to take their foot off the gas. Denver — rattled by injuries all season and without Ty Lawson for the night — refused to roll over and play dead. They fought back and had the lead at times in the fourth quarter. Timofey Mozgov led the way with 23 points and 29 rebounds (most rebounds in a game in the NBA this season).
Down 1 with less than a minute remaining Stephen Curry got the ball and I love that Mark Jackson didn’t call a timeout, he let the game’s best shooter probe, create a little space and hit a floater that put the Warriors up one with 4.7 seconds left. It was a brilliant shot.
Denver’s play was clearly to get the ball back to Randy Foye but the Warriors cut that off, so Faried took matters into his own hands and starting backing himself down into the post. And he can shoot from there.
Golden State will still make the playoffs, but they are more likely to be the six seed, not the five. Which means it’s likely Clippers vs. Warriors in the first round, and that should be a good one. But a very tough one for the Warriors. When they are stuck in that tough series will look back at losses that got them there, they have away like this one and shake their own heads.
