The Warriors kept it close against the Clippers but couldn’t withstand an off night from guard Stephen Curry and lost, 108-101. To add injury to insult, Curry tweaked his ankle late in the game, though it doesn’t look too bad, according to Marcus Thompson of The Athletic.
Well before this play, Curry had just 11 points through three quarters, shooting 4 of 13 from the field including 1 for 5 on 3-pointers. Still, the Warriors were within six points of Los Angeles. The bench started the fourth quarter in fine fashion, taking a four point lead early on. When Curry came back in, he still couldn’t get cooking, finishing with 13 points in 35 minutes, and the Clippers slowly took control.
That’s disappointing after Curry’s 62-point game on Sunday and his 30-point encore on Monday against the Kings. The Clippers are formidable on defense, however, and the Warriors had their chances, despite struggling against contenders earlier in the year.
So how did the Warriors keep it close with Curry struggling? They played quality defense, led by Draymond Green. Reserve big man Eric Paschall played exceptionally well on offense, scoring 19 points, which tied with Andrew Wiggins’ 19 points for the team lead.
Rookie center James Wiseman struggled a bit, though he had his share of nice plays at the rim. He played just 18 minutes, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds, though he shot a respectable 5 for 10. He also had three turnovers, a block and a steal.
Overall, however, this was a positive night for the Warriors, despite Curry’s struggles. Coach Kerr said his ankle isn’t serious, and Golden State hung in there against a quality opponent.
Plus, the Warriors get another crack at the Clippers on Friday. Perhaps they can improve and the win just like they did against the Blazers just a few games ago.
Bonus material: Here’s Wiseman showing a bit of resolve post game. He had a less-than-stellar night, but the Warriors need him to keep his confidence level high as the season moves along.
(Photo credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)
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