Moral victories don’t count for much in the thick of a playoff race. So while the fact that the Warriors battled back from 24 points down and nearly beat one of the Eastern Conference’s finest Tuesday night at Chase Center, the loss serves as a reminder that these Warriors face an uphill climb to make the playoffs.
With Stephen Curry sidelined for the third straight game with a tailbone injury, poor shooting in the first and fourth quarters ultimately doomed the Warriors in Tuesday night’s 108-98 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Curry’s extended absence — he’s expected to miss at least three more games — threatens to sink the Warriors (22-22) to below .500 for the first time since Jan. 1.
They nearly stole this one. After scoring just 17 points in the first quarter and digging a 59-45 hole by halftime, the Warriors used a 40-point third quarter to erase a 24-point deficit and nearly complete a thrilling comeback.
Second-year guard Jordan Poole made three free throws to tie the game, then forward Kelly Oubre Jr. drained a free throw to give the Warriors their first lead, 75-74, with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter. Guard Damion Lee (16 points on 6-for-7 shooting) put the finishing touches on a 38-15 run for the Warriors to close the third quarter and take an 85-80 lead into the fourth.
“Basketball is a game of runs,” Lee said. “The good thing is we went on that run in the third quarter, score was tied and then, in the fourth quarter, they really imposed their will.”
Golden State led until 76ers guard Danny Green canned a 3-pointer at the 5:32 mark of the fourth to crest a 19-4 run that gave Philadelphia a 105-96 lead with 2:12 to go. The Warriors scored just 13 points in the final period. Overall, the Warriors shot 43.4% and missed 17 of 25 3-pointers. They scored more points in the third (40) than they did in the first and fourth quarters combined (30).
“They put the clamps down on us,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “They really are a big team. They have size at every position … I thought that made a big difference in the fourth quarter especially.”
The 76ers (31-13) were led by point guard Ben Simmons (22 points, eight rebounds and four assists) and forward Tobias Harris (25 points, 13 rebounds and four assists), out-scored the Warriors 58-48 in the paint and won the rebound battle 51-38 despite missing MVP-candidate center Joel Embiid because on a knee injury. At times, rookie James Wiseman, who Kerr before the game announced would start the rest of the season, struggled.
“I’m just ready to just keep getting better and keep developing as a player,” Wiseman said after the game. That development is a priority for Golden State, and one that may overshadow making the postseason. The Warriors are now 1-4 in games without Curry this season. Though Golden State is still in position to make the play-in tournament, Curry’s injury makes leap-frogging that tournament a longshot.
Commendable effort Tuesday aside, finding ways to close games has been hard with Curry, and has been even more difficult without him. Golden State is 9-10 in games within five points with 5 minutes remaining — which is actually better than league average. But better than league average is not the standard these Warriors are shooting for.
“We’re not good enough execution-wise,” said Kerr, whose team will play Thursday in Sacramento, “and that’s what we have to continue to work on and that’s what I have to do a better job of as a coach. I’ve got to get us organized and then we’ve got to find better shots down the stretch.”
Could this be Oubre’s final game as a Warrior?
In the last game before Thursday’s trade deadline, Oubre’s 13 points in the third quarter and relentless energy were instrumental in the Warriors’ near-comeback. It’s no secret that the Warriors have listened to trade offers for Oubre, who is a free agent after this season. His final stat line of 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 10 rebounds and three assists underscores the volume scoring he could bring to a playoff team.
“We’ve talked a lot about his circumstances being a free agent and having his name tossed around,” Kerr said of Oubre, who the Warriors acquired in November for a protected first-round pick. “It’s not an easy position to be in. But this is how it works. He’s got an expiring deal, he plays a position of need for a lot of teams, he’s athletic and long. He’s coveted. He’s definitely coveted. So his name is naturally going to be out there and he’s done a great job of handling everything. He’s really professional and poised and very practical. We’ll see what happens.”
ICYMI
• Curry will miss at least three more games with a tailbone injury he suffered last week in Houston. Curry underwent an MRI Tuesday morning that revealed inflammation and will be re-evaluated in a week. “This is going to be a little bit longer than we thought and we hoped,” Kerr said. The Warriors will have to stay afloat until Curry returns. They play the Kings Thursday, followed by the Hawks Friday and the Bulls Monday.
• Kerr named Wiseman the starting center for the remainder of the season — an indication that they are all-in on the rookie’s development. “This feels right now like the right time to do this, Kerr said. “It’ll be great for James to get a really good stretch here over the last 29 games.”
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March 24, 2021 at 01:13PM
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Without Steph Curry, Warriors nearly complete comeback win over 76ers - Vacaville Reporter
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