INDIANAPOLIS — Here are five observations from the Warriors’ 102-100 road win over the Pacers on Monday night.
1. How’d they pull it out?
The Warriors have lost three of their past seven games and played well in probably two of those seven. They’re in a “lull,” as Steve Kerr called it, battling energy issues as the winter arrives and the extra pressure and attention that’s been heaped upon them as Stephen Curry stares down a legendary record.
That mini-slump would’ve been the story exiting Indianapolis on Monday had the Pacers held down the Warriors late. The home team led for all but three minutes and, with under 90 seconds left, had a five-point cushion. One more stop or score probably would’ve sealed an ugly 0-2 start to this difficult Warriors’ road trip.
But the Pacers never got that stop or score, and the Warriors instead emerged with a “gritty” win, as Curry termed it. How? It started with a Curry made 3, his fifth — bringing him within two of breaking Ray Allen’s career 3-point record — on a rare lapse from the Pacers. They’d spent all game selling out to take away all of Curry’s breathing room.
But on a forced switch, Domantas Sabonis dropped a step too deep, giving Curry enough space for a quick lefty dribble into a 3 to bring the Warriors within two and himself to Allen’s doorstep.
On the Warriors’ next possession, Curry used the threat of that record-tying 3 to get into the heart of the Pacers’ defense.
