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Steve Kerr had no problem diagnosing the reason the Golden State Warriors have experienced three early-season losses in their first seven games of the 2017-18 season. The culprit wasn't any more evident than surrendering a whopping 25 turnovers in a 115-107 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
“At some point the ball just has to matter. The game has to matter enough for us to win,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, according to Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News. “If you don’t match that type of energy and play with some intelligence and some discipline, you’re not going to win.”
The Warriors gutted a pair of wins against the Toronto Raptors and the Washington Wizards — two potent Eastern Conference teams that put their mettle to the test during all four quarters of the game — winning by five and three points respectively. Detroit was coming with huge momentum after taking down the 4-0 L.A. Clippers from their early pedestal the prior night — handing them their first loss of the season.
Each of the Warriors starters turned the ball over three or more times, amassing 22 turnovers between them. Even non-playmakers like Klay Thompson and Zaza Pachulia managed four turnovers a piece, events which the Pistons feasted on repeatedly throughout the game.
“Our guys are lacking in energy, focus and discipline,” Kerr said. “Obviously that’s coaching. I have to find a way to get the right combination of guys out there and execute the right stuff. Maybe we’re running too many different plays. I got to do a better job.”
The Warriors shot the ball at a 57 percent clip throughout the game, but it simply did not matter, as the Pistons attempted 16 more baskets throughout the game, proving too difficult for Golden State to overcome.
Golden State is now the fourth-worst team in the league in the turnover category, averaging a whisker over 18 per game. The Warriors also have a plus-4.1 turnover differential — the third-worst in the league behind the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
