Kristaps Porzingis took another step in his integration to the Golden State Warriors, scoring an equal team-high 17 points on Tuesday night against the Chicago Bulls at Chase Center.
It wasn't enough for the hosts though, with the Warriors suffering a 130-124 overtime loss that strikes further disaster after an already disappointing defeat to the Utah Jazz 24 hours earlier.
Warriors fall into a deeper hole with third-straight loss
Golden State were forced to twice come back from double-digit deficits in the second-half, but actually had the game close to their keeping up three with 10 seconds remaining. But after the Bulls cut it to one, LJ Cryer crucially missed a free-throw and Draymond Green fouled Jalen Smith who knocked down a pair to send the game to overtime.
The Warriors ultimately ran out of legs in the overtime period, proving highly dependant on perimeter shots which they failed to nail in the biggest moments. The loss pushes them below .500 for the first time since December 20, and further creates a likelihood of having to win two games in the Play-In to even make the playoffs.
Porzingis had 17 points in just his third game with Golden State, albeit shot 5-of-13 from the floor in his 20 minutes. It was still a positive individual performance, having also recorded four rebounds, two assists and four blocks while being a +4 in the game.
Cryer and Pat Spencer also added 17 points apiece off the bench, while each finishing as a game-high +18. Gui Santos was the fourth player to also add 17, with the Brazilian forward adding five rebounds but shooting only 7-of-19 from the floor.
Al Horford also had a tough night in shooting just 5-of-18 from the field, yet the veteran center did add nine rebounds, five assists and four blocks in 34 minutes as the starting center next to Green in the frontcourt.
Gary Payton II flew in for multiple put-back dunks, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds in just under 22 minutes. Will Richard also returned after numerous games out due to an ankle injury, getting the start but shooting 3-of-9 from the floor as Golden State shot less than 42% from the floor as a team.
Losing these two games against two practically tanking teams only hurts further when you consider the Warriors' upcoming schedule. They'll host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, before embarking on a six-game road-trip that includes the likes of New York, Boston, Detroit and Atlanta.