They trailed for all but a few minutes. Their shots weren't falling, their defense was being shredded and their seven-game win streak was in serious jeopardy.
What did the Warriors do? They played fine fourth-quarter defense and turned the offense over to Marreese Speights.
And the backup big man delivered. In perhaps the most impressive of his many terrific performances this season, Speights scored 27 points to lead the Warriors to a 106-101 win over the Hornets on Friday night at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte.
The victory pushed the Warriors' win streak to eight and gives them a 4-0 record on this five-game road trip.
While the Warriors (13-2) shot 38 percent for the first three quarters, but were able to hold Charlotte to 28.6 percent shooting in the final quarter – after firing at 50.8 percent shooting through the first three. Speights rescued a Warriors offense that was sluggish and inaccurate throughout.
He personally outscored the Hornets 16-8 in the first seven-plus minutes of the final quarter, giving the Warriors their first lead (90-88) of the second half.
Stephen Curry, in his annual return to his hometown, finished with 26 points, six assists and two blocked shots. His torrid long-distance shooting came to a halt, though, as he made only 1-of-10 from 3-point distance.
Klay Thompson was the only other Warriors in double figures, putting in 17 points on 7-of-22 shooting.
STANDOUT PERFORMER: Speights put the Warriors on his back in the fourth quarter and took them to all the way to the win.
He scored the team's first 16 points of the decisive fourth quarter. He also grabbed five rebounds and blocked a shot before fouling out in the final minute. Without Speights, the Warriors not only don't win this game, they don't even have a chance.
TURNING POINT: Trailing by eight (82-74) with 11:19 left to play, the Warriors went on a 19-6 run to go up five (93-88) with 4:30 left.
Speights scored the first 16 of those points, finally getting help with Thompson dropped in a 3-pointer at the 4:30 mark.
The Hornets never again caught up, much less regained the lead.
INJURY UPDATE: F David Lee (strained left hamstring) missed his 11th consecutive game and remains out indefinitely. The Warriors hope he can return next week. G Leandro Barbosa (sprained right knee) did not play.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Warriors conclude their five-game road trip on Sunday in Detroit, where on Sunday afternoon they face the Pistons at 12:30 p.m. PST.
