As the Golden State Warriors hosted the Dallas Mavericks, there was anticipation to see not only former Warrior Klay Thompson face his old team but also the Christmas Day debut of Mavericks No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.
Golden State made it a tough night for Thompson, adding motivation for their victory. Thompson struggled to get good looks and finished with only seven points.
The Warriors have looked like a well-oiled machine as of late, following their now third consecutive victory, ensuring that sentiment never outweighs substance.
Flagg plays lights out on Christmas
Flagg looked unfazed by the bright lights and was the clear bright spot for Dallas.
Playing with great confidence and aggression, he poured in 27 points on elite efficiency, scoring from all three levels.
As effective as he was, the Warriors dominated the majority of the game. They never looked back after trailing by two early in the first quarter.
The Warriors were solid in the turnover battle, exploiting the Mavericks’ lack of discipline while crashing the boards effectively, finishing +10 on offensive rebounds.
Golden State does it by committee
It was a quiet night by Stephen Curry’s standards, but that’s every year on Christmas Day.
Curry only averaged 17.6 points per game on the holiday leading up to this matchup. He finished with 23 points, but the Warriors’ role players excelled.
Moses Moody added 12 points, while De’Anthony Melton had his best game so far this season, finishing with 16 points.
The most impressive was Al Horford, in his return to the rotation after missing the past seven games, who added 14 points on 66% from three in six attempts.
The Warriors have the potential for a run
Perhaps the most encouraging sign from the Warriors is how cohesive they looked.
Horford added even better spacing, making the game come easy on offense and pulling Dallas’ interior defense out, making way for easy lanes that existed the entire game.
The Warriors are playing connected basketball on both ends, moving the rock, playing elite defense, and leaning on their depth rather than Curry’s heroics night in and out.
Looking like a well-oiled machine, finding their stride at the perfect time, the best is yet to come for this Warriors team.
