Why are the Warriors so dominant in the third quarter?

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Game four. The Warriors are down by five. Grant Williams just hit a corner three to give the Celtics the perfect amount of momentum before halftime. Boston fans roar as their team goes into the locker room.

Commentators and analysts berate the Warriors with insults after their lackluster performance in the first half. If Golden State loses Game four, they will be down three games to one – or in the other words – a statistical loss in the NBA Finals.

And then the third quarter happened. 

The Warriors began running up and down the court like track stars. Their defensive communication and style rose to the level of Steve Kerr’s 1996 Bulls team. On top of that, their three-point shot became so wet they had to evacuate TD Garden due to the flooding. 

This is a normal third quarter for the Golden State Warriors. Since Steve Kerr joined the organization in 2014, NBA fans and commentators have witnessed firsthand the onslaught the Warriors unleash on their opponents in the third quarter. 

In fact, between 2015-19, the Warriors had the best third-quarter margin in the league. In these playoffs, they are plus 9.5 per 100 possessions in the third quarter. 

Essentially, when the Warriors’ Big Three is healthy, the team dominates the third quarter.

Yet, it simply doesn’t make sense. How is a team so good in one specific quarter? What changes are being made in those fifteen minutes at halftime for the former world champions? 

Quite frankly, this is a difficult question to answer because of the unique nature of the achievement. Not even the players know.

In 2018, Stephen Curry admitted to the New York Times that “he has no idea” how Golden State delivers a knockout punch to their opponent coming out of halftime. 

Some credit Kerr, the mastermind behind the Warriors’ offense and defense. Former Warriors center Zaza Pachulia told the New York Times in 2018 that Kerr’s inclusive attitude was the key to their success.

“Everybody is a leader here,” said Pachulia. “At least you have a feeling that you’re a leader.”

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Furthermore, the Warriors' halftime ritual includes a systematic review of their shortcomings, motivational speeches, highlights, and sets of exercises to relieve aggravated muscles – a perfect combination of analysis, recovery, and motivation to get the team ready to win the quarter.  

Others, such as assistant coach Bruce Fraser, argue that Kerr’s positive demeanor and trust in his colleagues make their halftime routine successful.

According to Fraser, Kerr completely trusts Fraser to pick out the game tapes to show the team during halftime – even without Kerr’s pre-approval. Fraser also noted that Kerr likes to see the positive and negative highlights of the first half, a sign of his balanced coaching style. 

Kerr’s unique approach to reviewing game film, according to Fraser, derives from his time as an NBA commentator and player. Kerr’s experience allows him to easily simplify the team’s mistakes and quickly recommend changes to their game plan.

“The broadcasting (has) definitely helped him to articulate lots of thoughts in a condensed way,” Fraser told the Times.

However, Kerr’s experienced skill set isn’t the only reason why the Warriors win these quarters. 

The Warriors also house very active and high-energy players who motivate the team with their pep talks. And although most athletes aim to create a confidence-filled locker room, some Warriors players take their motivation to the next level, namely forward Draymond Green.

Players like Green, even if they have a bad series, still provide the locker room with a veteran voice that guides them into a state of dominance. 

This is also why Kerr consistently talks about the veteran presence of former finals MVP Andre Iguodala. Although he can no longer lock down LeBron James, Iguodala’s experience and active role with young players help improve locker room morale beyond Kerr’s powers.

AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn

Ultimately, all of these factors help unleash the Warriors' third-quarter onslaughts that have perplexed teams for years.

Nevertheless, it is unclear whether the one-quarter power move will help them win the championship this year because the game does not end after the third quarter.

For example, in Game one against the Celtics, the Warriors had a dominant third quarter, however, they blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead and left with a 12-point loss. Additionally, in Game three, the Warriors had dominated the third quarter but lost the fourth quarter by a wide margin.

Therefore, while one can argue that Golden State is the best third-quarter team in NBA history, it might not be enough to capture their seventh NBA championship.

Even so, if the Warriors can maintain that intensity for an entire half, they stand a better chance of winning this year and for years to come.