Young Warriors can’t finish off the Nuggets
SAN FRANCISCO >> These young Warriors have spent most of the season trying to learn how to win. Sometimes, it’s just as important to forget how to lose.
Embroiled in their worst losing streak of the season, Golden State relinquished a 19-point lead in their 134131 overtime loss to the Nuggets on Thursday night at Chase Center to drop their 10th straight game.
A defense that had stifled the league’s seventhranked offense for the first three quarters lost steam, and their once-connected offense unraveled.
“We jumped them early but just couldn’t hold them off,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “Proud of our guys’ effort as they continue to battle. Feel bad for them because I thought they played well enough to win and just couldn’t quite do it.”
The Warriors (9-34) sought to take advantage of a tired Nuggets (29-12) team missing key contributors in guard Jamal Murray (left ankle), forward Paul Millsap (left knee) and guard Gary Harris (right adductor) on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Warriors opened up a 19-point lead in the first quarter as they assisted on 11 of their first 12 made field goals and held Nuggets center Nikola Jokic to 0 points and 0 assists.
Jokic got his first assist with 7:11 in the second quarter when he found Will Barton for a 3-pointer to push a 16-4 Nuggets run that cut Golden State’s lead to five. However, the Warriors answered with a 13-2 run and took a 62-45 lead to halftime.
In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets outscored the Warriors 40-28. Forward Eric Paschall’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 15 seconds left almost avoided the disastrous collapse, but then Golden State gave up a layup to Jokic that forced overtime. There, they were outscored 21-18.
Offense wasn’t the issue Thursday, as seven Warriors scored in double digits and assisted on 36 of 42 made field goals.
Rather, it was the defense that has consistently given up winning quarters to opponents during this losing streak.
After making only 26 shots in the first three quarters, the Nuggets made 21 in the fourth quarter and overtime while the Warriors made 12.
The Warriors were led by Alec Burks’ 25 points on 6-for-14 shooting (4 for 9 from 3-point range, 9 for 10 from the line), while Lee added 21 points and D’Angelo Russell added 19.
Jokic finished with 23 points on 10-for-20 shooting, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
Guard Will Barton paced the Nuggets with 31 points on 11-for-20 shooting (7 for 10 from 3-point range).
Tonight, the Warriors host the Magic as they try, again, to learn from a loss.
“I wish we came out with the win, but credit to them,” Paschall said. “They are a great team. They play together. We knew it was still going to be a hardfought game.”
A few more thoughts …
1. UPDATED CENTER ROTATION >> It seems Kerr will decide on his starting center based on matchups. After Omari Spellman got the start the last three games, Willie Cauley-Stein got the start Thursday versus Jokic.
At 7-foot with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Cauley-Stein bothered Jokic with his length on several occasions, and helped hold him to just 11 points through the first three quarters.
For the game, CauleyStein played 33 minutes, Spellman played 17 and Marquese Chriss played
11. Rookie Alen Smailagic logged a DNP-CD.
“I think it’ll just depend on matchups and how things are going,” Kerr said before the game. “There is no set rotation, it’s just going to be by feel.”
2. ERIC PASCHALL’S SHOT >> Paschall scored 16 points on 4 for 7 shooting, and all of his shots until there were 15 seconds left in regulation, came in the paint. But when Lee kicked out to Paschall, calling for the ball on the 3-point line above the left break, he didn’t hesitate to take the shot that forged Golden State’s brief lead.
Before Tuesday’s loss to the Mavericks, he had missed six straight 3-pointers over a four-game span. But, over the last two games, he’s made all three of his shots from beyond the arc.
“I’m always pretty confident no matter if I miss five in a row,” Paschall said. “I just shot the ball like I did any other shot.”
3. ANOTHER TECHNICAL FOUL FOR GREEN >> With 4:30 left in the third quarter, Green got called for his 11th technical foul of the season after arguing with a referee. He is five away from earning a suspension.
4. THE LOSING STREAK, IN CONTEXT >> This is the Warriors’ first 10-game losing streak since the 200102 season, when they finished 21-61. The loss gives them two more games in the loss column than the 9-32 Hawks.