The Golden State Warriors were happy to come home. After a long and tough road trip–in which they lost Kevin Durant–the Dubs were returning to friendly confines. Unfortunately, they were doing so against a team that beat them inside Oracle Arena last season.
The Boston Celtics ruined the Warriors’ return to the Bay, beating them 99-86. They fought hard all night, waiting for the opportunity to pull away. Once the fourth quarter came around, Steve Kerr opened the window for them.
More from Blue Man Hoop
- 3x champion may come to regret forgoing Golden State Warriors reunion
- Golden State Warriors: History shows USA may need Stephen Curry for more than the Olympics
- 7 players Golden State Warriors might replace Klay Thompson with by the trade deadline
- Golden State Warriors villain pours on more pain to end USA’s World Cup
- Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry continues philanthropic efforts off the court
In the last period, Kerr inexplicably rolled out a lineup of Stephen Curry, Ian Clark, Patrick McCaw, Andre Iguodala, and James Michael McAdoo. It was a terrible lineup in which the two-time MVP was relegated to screening duties. It all fell apart shortly after those five stepped onto the court.
Curry couldn’t save them, becoming a part of the problem himself. The Warriors turned the ball over eight times in the fourth quarter and the Celtics made them pay for it. When Kerr finally put Draymond Green and Klay Thompson back into the game, it was too late.
The Celtics were energized, grabbing offense rebounds and sinking big buckets. The Warriors, on the other hand, weren’t. They lost the fourth 27-12.
The Splash Brothers continued to struggle from beyond the arc. They combined for 4/17 shooting from beyond the arc tonight. They got good looks, but once again, they just weren’t falling.
The Warriors’ bench couldn’t get anything going, unlike in their victory in Atlanta. Offensively, they were bad. Defensively, they couldn’t contain Kelly Olynyk, who finished a game-high +29.
Despite being at home, tired legs definitely played a role in this one. After a long road trip, the Dubs are dealing with a level of fatigue. However, the loss is more than just that. Their failure to execute and poor rotations did them in.
Golden State is sputtering right now. With a slumping backcourt, the Durant-less Warriors are having trouble to put the ball in the basket. They aren’t matching the intensity teams are bringing to them and they’re paying dearly for it.
The Warriors are just 1.5 games in front of the San Antonio Spurs. The two teams will matchup on Saturday, after Golden State plays the Minnesota Timberwolves.