SAN FRANCISCO– Back-to-back losses to two teams that are actively tanking is a tough pill to swallow. But that's what the Golden State Warriors are going to have to do after falling 130-124 to the Chicago Bulls in overtime.
The Warriors led by eight with 91 seconds left in regulation, but bungled their end-of-game execution in the dying seconds of overtime.
“We just couldn't close it out,” Kerr said bluntly after the game. “They got the two free throws with one second left, and were able to send it to overtime. And then they were, they were the better team in OT.”
What got the Bulls to OT were two Warriors mistakes. Two-way rookie LJ Cryer missed a free throw with a chance to put Golden State up three points, which opened the door for Bulls center Jalen Smith to knock down two free throws to tie the game when Draymond Green fouled him with his hand on his hip as he caught a pass in the corner.
From there, as Kerr said, Chicago blitzed the Warriors in overtime. Matas Buzelis completed a career-high 41 points with a dagger three with 2:20 left in OT, while Josh Giddey topped off a 21-point, 13-rebound, 17-assist triple-double.
But despite the stellar performances from the Bulls' young core, the loss stems back to Green's uncharacteristic mistake at the end of regulation. When asked about what happened on Green's foul, Kerr took responsibility for his mistake.
“It was foul. I watched the replay, and I'm sure [Green would] like to have that one back. He just got his hand in the wrong spot. And [it] would have been a tough shot Smith would have had to hit. And Dray knows he just needed to challenge [Smith]. He was in a tough spot. He didn't play the whole fourth quarter. And then I throw him out there for a couple of defensive possessions, because I know how good he is on that end, but he wasn't exactly loose and in the flow. And I'm sure that didn't help matters.”
Defensive woes plagued Golden State
Still, the Warriors maintained that they didn't lose the game on one or two plays. After the game, Pat Spencer pointed to their defensive issues, citing how Chicago controlled the flow of the game.
“We were a little bit soft on the ball,” Spencer said. “Think they're pretty crafty, and I think if we're being honest, they didn't have a bunch of guys that normally knock down the three ball at an elite rate. They still didn't shoot that great. It just felt like we were a little bit passive on that side. They have some guys who can create a little bit. Felt like they played at their pace for the most part, all night.”
Golden State got crushed 64-49 on the boards, allowing 20 offensive rebounds to the Bulls. Buzelis and Giddey got wherever they wanted, usually breaking the Warriors' shell and getting into the paint.
However, it's not as if the Warriors didn't play hard. While Cryer missed the crucial free throw, he finished with 17 points on 3-of-5 from deep. Spencer himself was a +18 plus/minus along with 17 points and six assists, as he led the Dubs' third and fourth quarter surges. They even got a strong Kristaps Porzingis game, with the big man collecting 17 points and four blocks in his third game with the Warriors. Porzingis got the Chase Center crowd when he hit a big three on the wing to complete a 12-0 run late in the third.
But ultimately, the Dubs fell short, and that loss on their tab erases any of the good they did. It's a loss to a team in the midst of a tank, after previously losing to a team that got fined by the league for tanking.
It doesn't help that the Warriors are injured, with no Steph Curry, no Jimmy Butler, and Moses Moody and De'Anthony Melton out. But for a team trying to stay afloat, losses like these are devastating.
How the Warriors move forward
With Golden State falling to 32-33 on the season, they don't have time to lick their wounds. They are in danger of falling too far behind the Clippers, who passed them for the eighth seed this week. The Warriors currently sit in ninth, where they'd have to win two games in a row to make it to the playoffs. They'll get an update on Curry's knee on Wednesday, but in all likelihood, they'll have to pick themselves up without him as they ramp him up.
“We can't feel sorry for ourselves. We know if we play the right way, we can be in any game,” Gary Payton II said. “So just [got to] finish off the season strong. Like I said, late, late second half, you know, clean up on some of the mental things. And I think we'll put ourselves in a great position to close games.”
The Warriors' optimism is still there. The high end of what this team can be, like that Houston Rockets upset, gives them confidence. But back-to-back losses to tanking teams show where the Warriors are at this season. Barely treading water with a faint hope their star can return in time to save them.
