The Golden State Warriors suffered a defeat at the hands of the James Harden-less Houston Rockets on Saturday, 118-112. True to form, head coach Steve Kerr has taken the fall for his team, claiming that the blame should be put on him for the Dubs' poor post-All-Star break form.
Steve Kerr pointing finger at himself for not getting the guys ready to play. Says Warriors have been sluggish in two games since the All-Star break
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 24, 2019
The Warriors had a slow start in the Oracle Arena on Saturday, and the Rockets took full advantage. As the buzzer at the end of the first quarter sounded, Houston were already up by 15 points, limiting Golden State to just 20 points in the first frame.
It was a total team effort for the short-handed Rockets as they collectively tried to compensate for the absence of Harden. The MVP candidate was battling flu-like symptoms and had a neck strain, which led to an unlikely DNP for the 29-year-old.
The Rockets starting unit combined for an astounding 94 points, with all but one player reaching double figures. Big man Clint Capela only scored eight points on 4-of-8 shooting, but he did contribute 15 boards, a steal and a block.
As for the Warriors, Kevin Durant (29), Stephen Curry (25), and Klay Thompson (20), all eclipsed the 20-point mark, but it would all be in a losing effort. The Dubs also lost Draymond Green in this one, with the former Defensive Player of the Year winner exiting early in the fourth quarter with an ankle issue. DeMarcus Cousins had a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds in 27 minutes of play.
This was the Warriors' second game following the All-Star break, as they struggled to put away the feisty Sacramento Kings on Thursday night. Golden State did come away with a tight 125-123 victory in that one, but it is clear that Steve Kerr expects much more from his guys moving forward.
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