SAN FRANCISCO — Like so many games for the Warriors this season, Saturday night’s contest would be decided in the fourth quarter.
Like so many other times this season, the Warriors offense went AWOL in the clutch. After tying up the game with five minutes remaining, Golden State went just 2-of-10 from the field en route to a 109-103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I thought our guys competed really hard, but we couldn’t find that spurt and that momentum where we could string together a good five or six minutes in the game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “So just felt like we were kind of swimming upstream for much of the game even though neither team had much of a lead throughout the game. It was close, but it just never felt like we found our groove.”
Perhaps the biggest development of the night was that Gary Payton II was spotted in the stands sitting with president of basketball operations/general manager Bob Myers and assistant general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., wearing a hoodie with a Warriors logo on it.
Despite the optics, Kerr said he had no update about the status of the trade after the game. Draymond Green said he also didn’t have much information to share about the situation.
“I think that you may know more than me,” Green said. “I don't read a bunch. I know that he is hurt. That is about to the extent that I know.”
Maybe it was because the Warriors are still deciding if they want to waive Payton II’s failed physical to OK the four-team trade. Maybe it was because Steph Curry (leg) and LeBron James (foot) were unavailable. Maybe it was because the Lakers just added four new players at the deadline. Whatever it was, the vibes seemed a little bit off at Chase Center on Saturday night.
The game was muddled in a malaise from the first quarter, as both teams each missed their first seven shots of the game. Missed buckets and turnovers marked a sloppy contest from both sides, before a rhythm was finally found in the second half.
Jordan Poole found himself affected by the early funk but picked it up big-time in the second half. Poole scored the Warriors’ first 17 points of the final frame, as the other four starters were held scoreless in the fourth quarter. Golden State can’t afford to be so shallow in the game’s deciding moments. Especially with Steph sidelined.
“I think our guys are frustrated,” Kerr said. “We’ve had so many close losses and we’re right up against the All-Star break. I think our guys, like everybody around the league, they need a break.”
Even though the Warriors’ offense has gone cold in the fourth quarter lately – the 16-0 run given up to the Nuggets last week comes to mind – Draymond believes the problems originate on the other end of the floor.
“It starts defensively,” Green said. “It was a tie game and I think that they went up eight and five of the points were just off getting loose balls. … When you are down guys, you have to get 50/50 balls, you have to make those plays. We didn’t do a good job of that.”
If Golden State keeps Payton, that’s an area he can help shore up. It appears the Warriors will wait until Sunday to make up their mind after having a 72-hour window from Thursday’s call with the league about the trade.
