AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors travelled to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz Tuesday night. The Jazz are in a rebuild mode but they have a good nucleus of young and talented players and they gave the Dubs a go at it for the first half of the game but the Warriors blew it open behind the stellar play of all-world guard Steph Curry as they won by double digits for the seventh straight game downing the Jazz by a final score of 116-105.

The Jazz came into the game with a record of 13-25 while the Dubs have the best record in the NBA.

They are 29-5 and have won six in a row before start of play. The Jazz played the Dubs tough and led by seven at one point in the second quarter. The Warriors fought back and tied the score at 53 to end the first half. The Warriors were led by Steph Curry’s twelve points and seven assists. Draymond Green came through with nine points while Klay Thompson and Mo Speights had five. The Warriors bench was credited with 8 assists in the half and the Dubs had nineteen total assists so far.

The Jazz were led by their big center Enes Kanter who had eleven points and another young power forward ,Derrick Favors, put in nine. Small forward Gordon Hayward also had nine for the Jazz in the half.

The game changed in the third period. The Warriors were able to get their rhythm going and they moved the ball well running the floor with great passing from Steph Curry and Andrew Bogut. They were lights out from three point range as they made eight three-point shots and scored forty-four points to break open the game. The Jazz did not quit. They played hard and kept trying to come back but the Warriors kept them at bay. Curry ad fifteen points and four assists and did not play in the fourth quarter.

The second unit played the entire fourth quarter and the Warriors won 116-105.

Notes-The Warriors won the seventh game in row by double digits. Andrew Bogut was back in the starting lineup and he played well. His passing game was outstanding and he rebounded and blocked shots. Not a bad night for Bogut. Steve Kerr became the first coach in NBA history to go 30-5 in his first year at the helm.

Curry led the Warriors with 27 points and 11 assists. Draymond Green had fifteen while Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes put in twelve each. The Jazz was led by Favors 22 points and 11 rebounds. Enes Kanter’s night ended with him putting in 13 points and getting 10 rebounds. His teammate, Rudy Gobert scored 12 and got 11 rebounds. These three young men will be the nucleus for the Jazz as they rebuild the team.

After the game, Steph Curry said “we’re pretty hard to stop.” Quite an understatement. Coach Kerr, talking about curry had this to say” he’s electric-just incredible.” and that (Curry)”took over the game in the third period.” Commenting on the team’s overall performance Kerr said this”that’s our game to move the ball and when we move the ball ball we move the defense.’ By having ball movement the Warriors are able to get the ball to the open man and their chances of scores increases. Kerr said that

the level of play in the third period “was a clinic.”

The Warriors return home Wednesday to meet the Miami Heat (16-21) at the Oracle Arena.