The Golden State Warriors had no business winning Game 3 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.
Absolutely none.
The best defensive team in the league allowed the Pelicans to get anything they wanted for the first three quarters of the contest, allowing 89 points and trailing by 20 points heading into the fourth quarter.
The Warriors looked sloppy and uninspired on both ends of the floor, letting New Orleans score inside and out. Offensively, they failed to share the ball, settled for difficult shots and played one-on-one basketball – the complete opposite of what Steve Kerr had preached since Day 1.
All year long, though, the Warriors found a way to shut teams down completely when it mattered the most to come away with one improbable victory after another.
That’s why it wasn’t as surprising as it would have been had any other team pulled what they did: score 39 points while holding the Pelicans to 19 points in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime and eventually coming out with a 123-119 victory to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the first-round series.
Draymond Green, who was snubbed of the Defensive Player of the Year award earlier in the day, got in foul trouble early and was ineffective for much of the game until the final quarter, when he went ballistic with five points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block while holding Anthony Davis to just three points and two rebounds.
Then came the most ridiculous shot of the playoffs to this point by Stephen Curry, who hit a game-tying 3-pointer to send the game to overtime:
In came the reactions from players around the league on twitter, who all witnessed one of the craziest games of the year and had plenty to say about who they believe should be the MVP of the season:
Woow that’s all I have to say #dubnation — Marreese Speights (@Mospeights16) April 24, 2015
Amazing win by @warriors! Great coaching by @SteveKerr @Money23Green , @KlayThompson and (MVP) @StephenCurry30 our #big3!
— Rick Barry (@Rick24Barry) April 24, 2015
Crazy game — Marcus Thornton (@OfficialMT23) April 24, 2015
Terror RT @WillBrinson: Every single person in this photo knows Steph Curry’s shot is going in: pic.twitter.com/QFEuUyfEnT”
— Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) April 24, 2015
Eyes Closed!!!! @StephenCurry30 really bro!?!?! Dayum…. pic.twitter.com/WpEuqp5K4e — Baron Davis (@Baron_Davis) April 24, 2015
Put your best player in his best spot on the floor…. No real misdirection or a real ISO…. 9secs w/ ball ..Need a better play !!
— Baron Davis (@Baron_Davis) April 24, 2015
And here it is with Steph! Dell probably never thought he would be the 2nd best shooter in the house. Lol!!! https://t.co/3edMCtvdWS — Tracy Murray (@RealTracyMurray) April 24, 2015
Any more questions?!?! Nope didn’t think so. Give @StephenCurry30 the MVP trophy right now. #DubNation
— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins98) April 24, 2015
Great road win for the Dubs..Curry was Epic tonite..New Orleans played hard but didn’t have the poise and discipline to win.. #littlethings — Baron Davis (@Baron_Davis) April 24, 2015
Steph dug the Dubs a hole with a shovel (shot selection) and filled it in with a backhoe late in the game! Livingston, Barnes, Green huge
— Brent Barry (@Barryathree) April 24, 2015
Draymond Green ran to the tunnel like a chick on Maury lol — Jordan Hamilton (@J_Goin_HAM) April 24, 2015
Terrible shot by gordon…..
— speedy claxton (@speeddeamon) April 24, 2015
Weak call!!! This is the playoffs!! Wtf — Baron Davis (@Baron_Davis) April 24, 2015
And I do hope the pelicans win !
— Kenny Anderson (@chibbs_1) April 24, 2015
Ridiculous — Jordan Clarkson (@JClark5on) April 24, 2015
.@StephenCurry30 may have just won this years @NBA #mvp award with that 3 pointer to send game into OVERTIME.
— James Worthy (@JamesWorthy42) April 24, 2015
this guy Steph is RIDICULOUS!!! — Danny Granger (@dgranger33) April 24, 2015
And they don’t think Stephen Curry is the MVP ?!!! He bringing the trophy back to North Carolina ! Stay spicy my friend #Playoffs
— Hassan Whiteside (@youngwhiteside) April 24, 2015
Omg!!! #NBAPlayoffs — Paul Millsap (@Paulmillsap4) April 24, 2015
The face you make when Steph Curry buries a game tying 3!! #MeetTheSmiths 9pm Friday TBS https://t.co/L5JQPEXr1X
— Kenny Smith (@TheJetOnTNT) April 24, 2015
And he was fouled!!! Man give this dude the MVP… — Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) April 24, 2015
That shouldve been a foul 2…..
— speedy claxton (@speeddeamon) April 24, 2015
Steph Curry ladies and gentlemen lol — Anthony Tolliver (@ATolliver44) April 24, 2015
And that was and 1. #StephCurry with the 3
— Ricky Rubio (@rickyrubio9) April 24, 2015
He got fouled too ha — COACH Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) April 24, 2015
woooooow!
— Anthony Tolliver (@ATolliver44) April 24, 2015
Wow #clutch — Ryan Hollins (@TheRyanHollins) April 24, 2015
Steph curry with that shot boooiiii.. @ESPNNBA
— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) April 24, 2015
Curry!! — ⚜Ron Artest⚜ (@QBronald) April 24, 2015
CHEF CURRY WOOOH
— COACH Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) April 24, 2015
WoW — Tobias Harris (@tobias31) April 24, 2015
mvp.
— Kendall Marshall (@KButter5) April 24, 2015
When your girl hits you with that “We need to talk” text pic.twitter.com/UHcbGFw3OV — J.A. Adande (@jadande) April 24, 2015
Jim Park is a blogger and editor of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.