SAN FRANCISCO, CA – FEBRUARY 16: Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II (0) makes a dunk in opposition to the Denver Nuggets within the second quarter of their NBA sport at Chase Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
SAN FRANCISCO — The shock holders of the second-best file within the NBA, the Warriors’ perspective coming into the All-Star break shouldn’t have trusted one sport. However going through accidents and defensive slippage that had led to losses in three of their previous 4 contests, that’s the place they discovered themselves coming into their first-half finale Wednesday in opposition to the Denver Nuggets.
After a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Denver’s Monte Morris negated the clutch efficiency of Steph Curry, it is going to be arduous to take something however somber vibes into the All-Star break, unable to capitalize on a loss by third-place Memphis. The Warriors led for each second however the very closing seconds in a 117-116 loss to the Nuggets that sends Golden State into the All-Star break as losers of 4 of their previous 5, holding a slim 1.5-game lead on the second seed within the Western Convention.
The Warriors received a balanced offensive effort that featured seven gamers in double figures — led by Curry’s 25 — and constructed a lead as giant as 16 factors, however Denver spent the second half whittling it down till lastly taking its first lead with 14 seconds left. Curry missed on a step-back 3-pointer that ricocheted lengthy off the rim, off the information of Andrew Wiggins’ fingers and into the fingers of Morris, who had no person between him and the go-ahead bucket.
Curry answered the next possession, taking his defender off the dribble, sinking a fadeaway jumper and finishing the 3-point play after drawing the foul, giving the Warriors a 116-114 lead with 5.9 ticks to go. However Morris received free on the alternative finish and drained the sport winner, a real buzzer beater that muted no matter constructive takeaways there have been from the primary 47 minutes.
“We needed the chance to enter the break on a excessive be aware. … he hits the sport winner, it modifications the vibe dramatically,” mentioned Curry, who was guarding Morris on the ultimate possession however shifted too far off him to place an additional physique on Nikola Jokic. “The very last thing you are able to do in that state of affairs is hand over a 3. I did that.”
Coach Steve Kerr doubtless isn’t the one one who will likely be stored awake Wednesday night time.
“I’m gonna beat myself up tonight and I received’t sleep as a result of there are a number of issues I’ll kick myself for suppose I ought to’ve completed this or I ought to’ve completed that,” Kerr mentioned, declining to get extra particular. “The gamers will all do this as a result of that’s what the enterprise is. It stings once you lose one like this. However the course of is essential, and I actually favored our course of tonight.”
Kerr gave Gary Payton II his first begin in additional than a month in hope of injecting new vitality into the lineup, and it appeared to work, because the Warriors raced out to a double-digit first-quarter lead and managed the sport via the primary three quarters.
Regardless of main all through, the group inside Chase Heart was tense in the course of the fourth quarter as Denver chipped away at a 16-point Warriors lead, which reached its apex at 77-61 halfway via the third quarter, after Klay Thompson hit one in every of three 3-pointers in transition.
Morris’ penultimate bucket, the one which gave Denver its first lead, was solely the Nuggets’ second basket in transition all night time, because the Warriors completed with an 18-5 benefit on fastbreaks, a latest space of emphasis for the group.
With a minute to go, Jokic lobbed a move to Aaron Gordon, who completed the alley oop to tug the Nuggets inside three factors, 113-110, changing into the seventh group in eight video games to drop 110 in opposition to the once-stingy Warriors protection nonetheless lacking Draymond Inexperienced.
Regardless of their lack of dimension uncovered once more by a star heart, Kerr maintained afterward that the Warriors didn’t must bolster their roster with one other massive man.
“We’re shorthanded proper now,” Kerr mentioned. “After we are wholesome and we now have Draymond and James (Wiseman), we’ll have loads (of dimension). However proper now, we’re shorthanded, and that’s all a part of it.”
Early on, Payton supplied the spark Kerr was in search of and added an exclamation level as they widened their lead within the second quarter. After a detailed name prevented Payton from coming away with a clear block of Jokic early on, there was no whistle on Payton’s second rejection of the imposing reigning MVP.
Payton blocked the shot, then dropped to the hardwood to have fun with a set of pushups. The gang beloved it, and the Warriors fed off it.
On the opposite finish of the courtroom, Payton received the most effective of Jokic by getting free on again cuts, paying homage to performs earlier this season when Payton reeled off eight straight video games scoring in double figures. With 12 on Wednesday, Payton reached double figures for under the second time in 20 video games since.
“I assumed we discovered some issues tonight,” Kerr mentioned. “We modified our rotation up slightly bit. I assumed Gary was improbable.”
The Warriors went small, inserting the 6-3 Payton for 6-8 Jonathan Kuminga. They had been crushed on the boards, 58-45, for the fifth time in six video games and allowed Jokic to collect 35 factors and 17 rebounds. Nonetheless, Payton’s early vitality helped the Warriors race out to early leads of 12-4 and 17-8.
Because the Nuggets made their push, although, it was Jokic who was forcing his will offensively. Defensively, the Nuggets employed a “hack-a-Looney” technique to nice success. Kevon Looney missed 4 of his six foul pictures within the closing 3 minutes and was visibly upset afterward.
Kerr hoped to experiment with the Warriors’ second line, too, by swapping in Payton for Kuminga. That allowed Kerr to pair Kuminga with Jordan Poole, and the 2 led a reinvigorated effort off the bench.
In a very spectacular first-half sequence, Kuminga spun previous DeMarcus Cousins to put the ball up and in, knocked down one in every of two 3-pointers on the next possession, then grabbed a steal that nearly led to a transition bucket (and it was Kuminga who finally completed the possession with one other basket).
Regardless of being relegated to the bench, it solely took Kuminga till halfway via the second quarter to safe his eighth straight sport scoring in double figures. Earlier Wednesday morning, he discovered that he can be a late addition to this weekend’s Rising Stars sport, then displayed why later that night time.
He mixed with Poole (15 factors) to guide a 41-point effort from the Warriors’ reserves, notably coming from solely 4 gamers. In a doable preview of a playoff rotation, none of Damion Lee, Moses Moody or Juan Toscano-Anderson noticed the courtroom Wednesday.
“I informed the fellows,” Kerr mentioned, “if we proceed to play with that form of combat and connection, then we’re going to be in fine condition after the break.”