The Golden State Warriors, with their depleted squad, stunned the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 120-114 victory on Friday night, making it their first win on the road against a team with a winning record this season.
Jordan Poole, who had just played 43 minutes in an overtime loss the previous night, led the Warriors with a game–high 32 points. He was supported by the team‘s red–hot shooting, as they started 9–of–11 on threes and finished 23–of–43, outscoring the Cavs by 27 points in the process.
The Warriors were also helped by the combined efforts of Kevon Looney and JaMychal Green, who grabbed 10 of the 16 offensive boards to help overcome a second–half of turnovers.
Jordan Poole drains the easy corner-3 👌pic.twitter.com/NopJaelUbm
— Warriors Nation (@WarriorNationCP) January 21, 2023
The Warriors‘ efforts were rewarded as Ty Jerome sealed the win with a desperation, off–dribble three from the deep right wing with 1:39 left. Cleveland, who lacked Donovan Mitchell, got no closer than five points before the final buzzer.
After the game, coach Steve Kerr praised the Warriors for their performance and noted how the trip to the White House to celebrate their championship victory had helped the team bond.
Steve Kerr, head coach of the Warriors, commented on the game, “I don’t think we let our foot off the gas. We were just playing so well and shooting the ball so well to get that lead, and they’re a hell of a team. One of the best teams in the league, the No. 1 defense in the league. We kind of hung on for dear life down the stretch, but we got it done.”
Kerr further expressed his hope that the team has found the boost it was looking for, saying, “I’m really hoping that this is kind of the boost that we’ve been looking for, and I think it’s all set up for us. We’re getting guys back, guys are finding their rhythm and playing pretty well heading home, so it’s time to go take care of business.”
Ty Jerome is CLUTCH 😤 pic.twitter.com/b3gXN189fI
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 21, 2023
The Warriors faced a number of challenges on their way to victory, including some players being out of the lineup and players coming back in. Despite these obstacles, the team managed to win three out of five games and build a strong bond, further strengthened by their trip to the White House to celebrate the championship.
Kerr’s optimism shows that the team is ready to use the momentum of their recent success to keep pushing forward. With players working to find their rhythm and come back into the lineup, the Warriors are ready to take care of business and continue their winning streak.
