The Warriors traveled to Brooklyn this past Friday to take on the 11-7 Nets.
The game was special for Warriors headcoach Mark Johnson, who is returning home to Brooklyn.
“Good to be home,” Jackson said, “and it’s even better to leave out of here with a victory. “
“You couldn’t imagine this being here as a kid growing up, or as a high school kid, just couldn’t imagine it,” he said before the game. “So it’s a big deal and rightfully so.”
Nets Joe Johnson managed to score 32 points ; however, it was not enough to pull out the win. David Lee had a game high 30 points and 15 rebounds.
Stephen Curry also added 28 points in the last minute win.
The Nets had the first quarter lead, 31 to 24 , but struggled from that point on the keep the distance.
“We’ve had similar games like this all season where we get out to a lead and really can’t hang on to it. We really got out-worked, especially in the second half,” Williams said.
This is the fourth straight game without potiential All-Star Center Brook Lopez, who is out with a sprained right food.
Stephen Curry is truly helping out his All-Star campaign, scoring 20 or more points in 6 straight games.
“He’s a bad man,” Jackson said. “He’s a bad man. At the end of the day, he’s healthy, and I’ll take him matching up against any point guard in this league. And that’s with total respect for Deron Williams and some other guys in this league, but Steph Curry is in that class and he shoots the ball as well as anybody that’s ever played. And for the first time in a long time he’s healthy, and I think people forgot just how good he is.”
The Warriors took a 6 point lead with under 7 minutes to play thanks to quick baskets by Lee and Curry. The Nets seemed to have crumbled under pressure defensely.
“Our problem is defense. We are not the same team defensively. We have to get back and figure it out,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said. “We have to get our team out of this defensive funk.”