Ever since the start of this current Warriors dynasty, Golden State has always been able to flip a switch other NBA teams simply don't have. When their level of talent meets maximum effort, the Warriors can overwhelm opponents in a matter of minutes.
And those minutes usually come in the third quarter. Just take a look back at the Warriors' net rating in the third quarter in each of the last five regular seasons. See a pattern here?
| Season | Net rating in third quarter (rank) |
| 2014-15 | 14.5 (first) |
| 2015-16 | 12.9 (first) |
| 2016-17 | 23.0 (first) |
| 2017-18 | 17.4 (first) |
| 2018-19 | 11.7 (first) |
MORE: Draymond Green explains importance of sweeping Trail Blazers
Even with their lowest mark since the 2015-16 season, the Warriors still led the league in third-quarter net rating this past regular season. However, that number dropped against the Clippers in the first round of the 2019 playoffs (4.4) and became a major negative against the Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals (minus-9.1).
Unfortunately for the Trail Blazers, that trend has not continued — not at all. Without Kevin Durant in the starting lineup, the Warriors have reverted back to their old style and demolished Portland in the third quarter through three games. Golden State holds a 39.4 net rating in the third (128.2 offensive rating, 88.7 defensive rating), a major reason why it has captured a 3-0 lead heading into Monday night's Game 4.
| Third quarter stats (via ESPN) | Warriors | Trail Blazers |
| Points | 91 | 63 |
| Assists | 24 | 12 |
| FG percentage | 52% | 39% |
| 3-point percentage | 48% | 38% |
The offensive explosions can be attributed to the sharp shooting of the "Splash Brothers," Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Against the Trail Blazers, Curry is averaging 11.7 points in the third quarter (10-of-22 shooting, 8-of-16 from 3-point range) and Thompson is contributing 7.7 points (8-of-17 shooting, 4-of-7 from 3-point range).
Bigger than the scoring, though, is Golden State's defense on Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. In those third quarters, Lillard is just 3-of-14 from the field, and McCollum isn't much better at 8-of-18. Each guard is just 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, and their teammates haven't been able to pick up the slack.
Perhaps nothing better illustrates the Warriors' third-quarter dominance than Game 3. Golden State walked into the locker room at halftime down 13 points. By the end of the third quarter, the Warriors had a three-point lead.
🔥 Steph 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JlpFc8z2pd
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 19, 2019
The Trail Blazers know it will take a full 48 minutes to beat the Warriors. They know one short burst from Golden State in the third quarter can turn the tide of a game.
And yet, it doesn't seem like Portland is equipped to do anything about it. The Warriors make their living in the third. They're just clocking in and clocking out when necessary.
