Game 2: Warriors vs. Mavs, player grades

Every Golden State player’s performance in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against Dallas, which the club won 126-117.

We’ll remember that basketball game for a long time. In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors had a terrible first half between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks. At one point, they were behind by 19 points. But they overcame the enormous deficit and beat the Mavs 126-117 in a very cocky way.

The Dubs are up 2-0 in the series, but it won’t be easy to win the next two games.

We don’t need to worry about them yet, though. All we can think about is the great win and the players who made it happen. And that means getting out the red pen and giving the Warriors who played on Friday some good grades and some bad ones. As always, rates are based on what we think each player can do.

This season, the league’s average true-shooting percentage (TS) was 56.6%.

Green Draymond
28 minutes, 6 points, 6 boards, 5 assists, 4 turnovers, 6 fouls, 2 for 6 shooting, 1 for 2 threes, 1 for 2 free throws, 43.6 percent TS, -19.

The streak continues! This season, the league’s average true-shooting percentage (TS) was 56.6%.

Aside from that, Dray had a challenging game for various reasons. He was in foul trouble for the whole game, and his fifth foul midway through the third quarter sidelined him until midway through the fourth quarter. Dray subsequently committed a foul upon his return.

He had a technical foul and almost got a second. Give him credit for escaping a second technical penalty, but had the officials given him one, no one save Warriors supporters would have deemed it unjustified.

Green cannot put his fate in the hands of the referees during such a crucial game. Thankfully, they gave him a lot of freedom on Friday, but he cannot expect they will continue to do so in the future.

It was also not his most incredible defensive effort. “not his finest defensive performance” is still solid defense for Draymond Freaking Green. Still, he did not seem to be an outstanding player.

Grade: C-

Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists; team’s lowest plus/minus.

Andrew Wiggins
38 minutes, 16 points, 5 boards, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 misstep, 4 fouls. 5 for 14 on field goals, 3 for 5 on threes, 3 for 6 on free throws, 48.1% TS, +16.

Wiggins had a somewhat ineffective scoring night, as he could not replicate his brilliance from the first half of Game 1.

He did a better job guarding Luka Doni than any other Warriors player, but Doni still scored 42 points and threw out eight assists while committing just two mistakes.

Wiggins has done an excellent job of distributing the ball and taking care of the basketball as of late. But eventually, he did not play a perfect game.

Grade: C+

Post-game bonus: Tied for first place on the squad in assists.

Kevon Looney
32 minutes, 21 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, 10-for-14 field goal shooting, 1-for-1 free-throw shooting, 72.7 percent TS, +9

Was this the most excellent game Looney ever played? Indeed, it might have been.

I think it is safe to say that it was his best offensive game ever. He had a career-high in points, but that doesn’t explain how strangely he scored.

In all honesty, there’s not much to say about Looney because the numbers say it all. He was the best inside player, often scoring and stopping Dallas’ offense. When he was put in charge of Doni, he did a great job. He had 12 rebounds, but the Mavs only had 30 as a team.

And when Green was forced to sit due to foul problems and Looney replaced him, the Warriors played better basketball.

Someone who was long late for his flowers was treated to a spectacular display.

Grade: A+

Post-game bonus: Awarded for leading the team in rebounds.

Steph Curry
37 minutes, 32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, 11-of-21 field goal shooting, 6-of-10 three-pointers, 4-of-4 free throws, 70.3 percent TS, +15

Steph Curry is now learning how to shoot free throws. Now, he is the entire deal!

Aside from the jokes, Curry’s performance was quite magnificent. He was the only Warrior with any offense throughout the team’s dreadful first half, and he virtually single-handedly pieced together a run late in the second quarter to give the club momentum heading into halftime.

In the second half, he began dancing on them before initiating the attack.

Steph against Luka is a matchup for the ages, and I’m thrilled that we get to see it. I’m also thrilled that we’re on Steph’s side.

Grade: A

Post-game bonus: scored the most points and assisted the most teammates.

Klay Thompson
37 minutes, 15 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 fouls, 6-of-10 shooting, 1-of-4 three-pointers, 2-of-2 free throws, 68.9% TS, -9

Even though Klay’s jump shot was not falling, he had a tremendously productive scoring night. Thompson had the excellent shot selection and relentless drives to the basket, the latter of which resulted in a couple of clutch baskets in the second half.

Despite this, his defense was terrible in this game. Klay struggled even to drive Doni away from the positions he desired. He was burned by Doni, as everyone is, but Klay had a tough time forcing Doni away. And Thompson’s defense against other guys was also subpar.

Grade: B-

Post-game bonus: tied for the most assists on the team.

Otto Porter Jr.
24 minutes, 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 4/4 shooting, 1/1 threes, 2/3 free throws, 103.4 percent TS, +11

I don’t even want to think about where the Warriors would be if OPJ still couldn’t play because his foot hurt.

What else can I say that I haven’t said a million times already? He keeps the offense going, plays good defense no matter who he’s switched onto, goes after every loose ball, and makes his shots.

He just plays dreamy parts.

Grade: A+

Damion Lee
5 minutes, 0 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 0 for 2 shooting, 0 for 2 threes, 0% TS, -12

Lee shouldn’t be playing right now, but he is. But Andre Iguodala and Gary Payton II are hurt, and Otto Porter probably isn’t ready to play 30 minutes, so Steve Kerr has turned to Lee.

In this game, it didn’t function. It didn’t work at all, because Lee was pretty bad in his first job, and Kerr didn’t come back to him.

Grade: D-

Post-game bonus: Team member with the worst plus/minus.

Jordan Poole
29 minutes, 23 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, and 2 fouls. 7 of 10 shots made, 2 of 4 threes made, 7 of 7 free throws made, 87.9% TS, +26

I said after Game 1 that the Mavs weren’t much help against a player like Poole, who can score by stepping back for a three or slashing his way to the basket.

This was clear on Friday, when Poole just played with the Dallas defense, waiting to see what moves they would stop and then punishing them with other moves.

He was in complete control and looked like he was playing at a much higher level than the Mavericks defenders.

It helps that the defense is still paying a lot of attention to Curry and Thompson, but Poole was doing great even when they were on the bench. He is the real deal, plus more.

Grade: A+

Post-game bonus: tied for the most assists on the team and had the best plus/minus score.

Moses Moody
10 minutes, 2 points, 1 assist, 1 foul, 1 for 1 shooting, 100% TS, +8

Moody got Lee’s minutes in the second half, and I think it’s safe to say that he’ll also get Lee’s minutes in Game 3.

Moody was in the game, but you wouldn’t have known if you weren’t paying close attention. That’s something good. He didn’t make any mistakes, which is the most important thing the Warriors want from a rookie and something that doesn’t happen very often.

Grade: A-

Friday’s DNPs: Nemanja Bjelica, Jonathan Kuminga, Juan Toscano-Anderson

Andre Iguodala, Gary Payton II, and James Wiseman did not play on Friday.

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