Jazz end Warriors’ 14-game win streak
OAKLAND — Outside of giving Kevin Durant some additional time on the court, Golden State coach Steve Kerr thought it was more important to rest his starters in the fourth quarter than try to extend the longest winning streak in the NBA this season.
With the playoffs starting this weekend, it was an easy decision.
Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 18 rebounds, Joe Johnson added a key 3-pointer with 80 seconds remaining and the Utah Jazz beat Golden State 105-99 on Monday night to snap the Warriors’ 14-game winning streak.
“A win is a win,” Gobert said. “They didn’t put their starters back in at the end but we were still in the game. We know the playoffs are going to be a different atmosphere but it’s still a great win.”
Kerr, his team already assured of the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, sat most of his starters for the entire fourth quarter and the Jazz (50-31) took advantage to end a sevengame losing streak at Oracle Arena.
“We didn’t have any injuries so that’s all good,” Kerr said. “They got 12 more field goal attempts than us. That was the difference in the game.”
Stephen Curry had 28 points in three quarters for the Warriors (66-15), while Durant added 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in his second game back following a knee injury.
With nothing at stake for the Warriors, the Jazz rode Gobert’s seven-point fourth quarter to their first win at Oracle Arena since April 7, 2013.
Gobert’s follow shot gave Utah an 83-82 lead with 7 minutes left. He later scored on an alley-oop dunk off a pass from Boris Diaw, then blocked a shot by Patrick McCaw to preserve the Jazz’s lead.
Utah won despite being without Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Rodney Hood and Raul Neto, all of whom have been nursing nagging injuries.
Golden State was also shorthanded, as Kerr rested Klay Thompson. He was joined on the bench in the fourth by most of the rest of the starters. Durant and Zaza Pachulia were the lone exceptions and Durant joined his teammates on the bench early in the final quarter.