Warriors’ rally comes up short
Golden State erases 17-point deficit but is unable to earn its 3rd straight victory
The Golden State Warriors’ attempt at a second straight comeback win fell short in their 124120 loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday.
Coming off a 19-point comeback win against the Heat on Wednesday, the Warriors (16-14) climbed out of a 17-point hole but couldn’t close out the Magic at Amway Center. The loss marked the seventh time this season Golden State failed to string together its first three-game win streak.
“It felt like we were right there, and I still feel like we are,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “We’ve gotten dramatically better in recent weeks . ... But, we are where we are. We’re fighting. We’re improving. We just haven’t gotten over the hump yet.”
Stephen Curry (29 points on 11-of-29 shooting, 11 assists and seven rebounds) made back-toback 3-pointers to cut the lead to one with 16.4 seconds remaining,
“... We are where we are. We’re fighting. We’re improving. We just haven’t gotten over the hump yet.”
– Steve Kerr, Warriors coach.
but missed the go-ahead attempt in the final seconds.
Orlando then converted free throws to clinch.
Although Curry was bottled up most of the night, Andrew Wiggins (16 points) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (26 points on 10of-18 shooting and seven rebounds) were key in a 43-point third quarter that helped the Warriors take their first lead of the game.
Golden State then used a 12-0 run to open the fourth quarter and take a 13-point lead, but Orlando battled back with a 15-2 run to re-take the lead in the final minute. Kerr pointed to a lack of ball movement that sunk the Warriors in the end.
“We let another get away,” said Draymond Green, who had six points, nine assists and seven rebounds after missing Wednesday’s win with a sore right ankle. “It’s kinda been the storyline of the season.”
For the Magic (12-18), Evan Fournier scored 28 points and Nikola Vucevic finished with 30 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. Without James Wiseman (sprained left wrist) and Kevon Looney (sprained left ankle), the Warriors gave up 15 second-chance points — among the deciding factors in the game.
This was the first game of a back-to-back set that concludes Saturday night in Charlotte against the Hornets.
The good news for the Warriors is they may have just one more game without centers Wiseman and Looney. Both are expected to return from injury during this four-game trip, giving Kerr more players than he can fit into the rotation.
“I’m going to have to have some difficult conversations with several guys,” Kerr said.
While Wiseman and Looney have been ruled out for Saturday’s game, both could play as soon as Tuesday’s game in New York. Both players will reenter the lineup and play several minutes. Kerr won’t be able to play all 12 healthy players. That could force contributors such as Eric Paschall and Juan Toscano-Anderson, who have thrived in smallball lineups for stretches, and others out of the rotation.
“I’d love to find (minutes) for Eric and Juan, and I’d love to play Draymond at the five, and I’d love to develop James and play him as much as possible,” Kerr said. “I want to start Looney because Looney gets us off to a great start, and our best defensive lineup is with him at center. I’d like to do all of those things, but I can’t.”