Lead vanishes amid errors
High turnover totals are inevitable for a Warriors team that relies on speed, creativity and the extra pass. Numerous times last season, head coach Steve Kerr stared at a box score and blamed his club’s penchant for coughing up the ball on a curious problem: It was too unselfish.
These days, Kerr traces Golden State’s turnover-prone ways to its inattention. The Warriors are making questionable decisions, forcing passes and, at times, seemingly forgetting who is on their team. The most alarming example in recent memory came Sunday night, when Golden State committed 25 giveaways in a 115-107 loss to Detroit at Oracle Arena.
“This has nothing to do with being unselfish,” Kerr said. “This has to do with a complete lack of focus and fundamen-
tals. We are throwing the ball all over the place.”
In a low point to a disappointing start to the season, the Warriors fumbled away a 14-point, third-quarter lead to a team playing less than 24 hours after an energy-draining win over the Clippers. Detroit overcame porous defense and an off night on the glass by shooting 16 more times than its opponent.
Nearly a third of the Pistons’ offense — 28.7 percent, or 33 points — came off Golden State turnovers. Draymond Green had more giveaways (six) than assists (four). The rest of the Warriors’ starting lineup — Stephen Curry (five turnovers), Klay Thompson (four), Zaza Pachulia (four) and Kevin Durant (three) — wasn’t much better.
It was enough to nullify a Golden State offense that shot 56.6 percent from the field. On a night Thompson, Curry and Durant combined for 84 points, the Warriors were left grappling with their third loss in their seventh game of the season. Golden State, which lost only nine times at Oracle Arena over the past three seasons, has dropped two home games.
“Obviously, everybody wants to win,” Durant said. “It’s just the small details that we’ve got to just lock in a little bit more on.”
Turnover issues are nothing new to Golden State. Over the past three years, the Warriors have hoisted two Larry O’Brien trophies, reached three NBA Finals and won 207 regularseason games — all without ranking among the top 17 of 30 NBA teams in fewest giveaways.
Certain turnovers are simply a byproduct of Golden State’s up-tempo, movement-heavy system. However, many of its giveaways this season have been rooted in carelessness. The Warriors are routinely thinking about the next action while trying to pass. Often, opponents don’t even need to move to nab a steal.
It took only until late in the third quarter Sunday for Golden State to commit at least 16 turnovers for the seventh straight game. Last season, it didn’t reach that mark in more than three consecutive games.
Taking advantage of the Warriors’ ill-advised passes, the Pistons used a 29-7 run to seize a 101-88 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Tobias Harris’ three-pointer with 1:27 left sealed Golden State’s fate after Durant powered a late Warriors rally.
“We’re really close to being ourselves,” Curry said. “For the most part, little things are keeping us from really opening up the gates.”
Sunday was a nadir for a Golden State team that has struggled mightily to focus this season. After the Warriors spent much of training camp trying to make more accurate passes, the Warriors are having a tough time holding onto the ball. Their 18.4 turnovers are third worst in the NBA, ahead of only the Lakers (19.2) and Jazz (19.7).
“At some point, the ball just has to matter,” said Kerr, whose team begins a three-game road trip Monday against the Clippers. “We are getting everybody’s best shot. If you don’t match that type of energy and play with some intelligence and some discipline, you are not going to win.”
“For the most part, little things are keeping us from really opening up the gates.” Stephen Curry, Warriors guard