Turnover Prone Golden State Warriors beat themselves in Chicago

The Golden State Warriors have failed to backup their massive 144-113 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, falling to the Chicago Bulls in another error-ridden road loss.

The reigning champions had no answer for an equal career-high 43 points from Nikola Vucevic, but the Warriors largely beat themselves in three disappointing quarters against a Bulls squad missing star scorer DeMar DeRozan.

An embarrassing 23 turnovers proved critical in the Golden State Warriors’ 132-118 loss to the Chicago Bulls at United Center on Sunday afternoon.

Klay Thompson hit a triple on the Warriors’ first possession, but that was the only positive over the first stretch of the opening period. Led by the skillful Vucevic, the Bulls went on a 19-2 run and opened up a 17-point lead. Seven turnovers and less than 45% from the field didn’t bode well for Golden State, with just 20 first-quarter points leading to a 15-point deficit.

A bench unit inclusive of Jordan Poole, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins opened the second on an 11-2 run, but the Bulls responded to re-establish a double-digit lead. Golden State finally brought their offensive rhythm from San Antonio late in the half, exploding for 19 points in less than five minutes to turn an 11-point deficit into a three-point lead.

That surge was sparked by the splash brothers, with Thompson and Stephen Curry combining for 27 points, ten rebounds and five assists in the first-half. Anthony Lamb also had 14 to continue his strong scoring off the bench.

After the Warriors threatened to demoralize the Bulls further by opening up an eight-point lead early in the second-half, the game settled back into a similar pattern as the first period. Golden State committed another seven turnovers in the quarter as Chicago took back the momentum and a six-point lead heading into the fourth.

Starting with a careless three-point foul from Lamb on a 30% career shooter in Derrick Jones Jr., the Bulls lead quickly ballooned to an insurmountable 15 early in the final period. Curry threatened to rally with six quick points, but they never threatened again as Vucevic continued to pile up the points.

Curry (eight), Green (six) and Poole (four) combined for 18 of the Warriors’ inexplicable 23 turnovers. Conversely, the Bulls had just ten as Golden State’s 21 made threes were overridden by their careless ball-handling and passing. Thompson had eight of those threes on his way to a team-high 26 points, while Curry will rue his turnovers despite totalling 20 points, ten rebounds and four assists.

The Warriors will now have to deal with a back-to-back tomorrow in Washington, with Thompson to rest and Curry likely questionable depending on how his shoulder pulls up. Their now 21-22 on the season and unable to seperate themselves from the logjam in the Western Conference.