Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) dribbles past Cleveland Cavaliers’ Matthew Dellavedova during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 25, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. Golden State won 89-83. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
OAKLAND, California—Already in the midst of a potentially record-shattering season, the Golden State Warriors feel they have yet to live up to their own standards.
The Warriors have won 28 of their first 29 games, including the NBA Finals rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, but the reigning champs know they can still get better.
The Warriors hammered out an 89-83 win over the Cavaliers before a sellout crowd at Oracle Arena in their first meeting since their title conquest last June.
“I don’t think we played well,” said Draymond Green, who finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds. “There’s part of it that makes me mad and there’s part of it that makes me very, very happy. I think we’ve got a lot of improving to do, and we will.”
Center Andrew Bogut acknowledged that the Warriors have been far from their best “in the last 10 games.”
“It’s something that we want to address,” said the Australian star.
The Cavaliers slowed down the pace, bottled up Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in an effort to stop the Warriors whose lone loss this season came against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said wins like the one against the Cavaliers should go a long way in their title-retention quest.
“It’s good for us,” he said. “Those types of games are going to happen in the playoffs where its tough to score and tough to get into high-flowing offense.”
The Warriors who opened the season with 24 straight wins kept their defensive tenacity up until the end against LeBron James, while Curry put the finishing touches in another impressive win on Christmas Day.
“They’re playing some great ball right now,” James said. “They’re obviously No. 1 in the league for a reason. They had no championship hangover.”
“They’re a very hungry team,” said Cavs forward Kevin Love who missed the NBA Finals due to injury. “That’s one of the signs of a great team. That’s why they play at a very high level.”
“Same style, same system, same main players,” Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. “Obviously, a high, high-level, high-quality basketball team.”
The Warriors also drew a solid game from Shaun Livingston, who finished with 16 points. Curry had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists just a few days after labeling himself the best player in the world.