The Warriors had gone into the second half down 22 to the Philadelphia 76ers looking like less than the defending champions, in need of a miracle run which would be the only thing that could save them from the embarrassment of losing so big to a young core of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Great ball movement and smart play would lead the Sixers to a 47-point first quarter that ended in a 75-52 halftime rout.
Once the third quarter began, that desperately needed miracle came in the form of a focused Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry who helped rally the Warriors to a 47-point quarter which helped end the third quarter with a 10-point cushion. The Sixers never recovered and the Warriors ended the game with a victory.
Coach Steve Kerr didn't like the initial effort but credited, via SF Gate, the second half turnaround.
“Tonight was one of the few nights where in that first half it just felt like we weren’t competing. It’s not easy night in and night out, but their nature as a group is to fight. Fortunately, the NBA game is a long game, and they turned it around.”
That has been the story for the Warriors this season so far. They've been far more aggressive in the second half of games after running neck and neck with opponents until halftime. They are the leagues second half team as they've rallied several times to close games out, looking like an entirely different team than when they begin games.
They've also taken down the Spurs, Pelicans, Timberwolves, and even got the Nuggets starters benched in the second half for their uncanny ability to turn on the switch and overwhelm teams when it looked like their opponents had a chance to gain a win.
Coach Kerr is certainly aware and while he likely points out the mistakes that get the team into a hole in the first place, he also seems to appreciate the video game-like comebacks as well. When asked about his team's second half knack for turning on the switch, Kerr gave a short and sweet answer.
Steve Kerr asked about his team's tendency to rely on flipping the switch: "That switch is pretty powerful. I'm alright with the switch."
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 20, 2017
That is a luxury most teams can't afford to rely on, and while any game can be won or lost, the Warriors seems to excel under adversity.
It's only a matter of time before the team finds a balance to their first-half scoring woes, but for now, they lead the league in second-half points per game at 60, which is up a full four points from last season.
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