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Déjà vu: Dubs on wrong end of ‘carbon-copy’ loss to Pacers initially appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO — A little bit beneath 11 months later, the Warriors discovered themselves in a well-known state of affairs Monday evening at Chase Middle in opposition to the Indiana Pacers. As an alternative of churning out a three-game win streak earlier than boarding the crew aircraft and taking off for Utah, the Warriors wound up on the improper finish of déjà vu with a 112-104 loss.
The Pacers have been with out stars Tyrese Haliburton (left groin soreness) and Myles Turner (sore proper hamstring), together with different notable names in Chris Duarte, T.J. McConnell, Daniel Theis and James Johnson. Their inactive record fairly actually was longer than their beginning lineup. And it did not matter.
Once more.
“It was virtually a carbon-copy of final 12 months’s sport,” Steve Kerr mentioned after the loss. “Completely different personnel, clearly, however the identical factor occurred final 12 months. That they had three or 4 guys out they usually got here in and took it to us.”
Pacers ahead Oshae Brissett could not assist however discover the similarities, too.
“Yeah, for certain,” Brissett mentioned. “I really feel prefer it’s form of the identical factor. Everybody stepped up and clearly [Andrew Nembhard] had a giant sport, however everybody was in a position to step in and do their half.”
Final season on Jan. 20, 2022, the Pacers waltzed into the Warriors’ residence enviornment with a beginning 5 of Duarte, Justin Holiday, Torrey Craig, Goga Bitadze and Keifer Sykes. That is not precisely a championship-contending squad. That is also the wonder, or the beast, of an 82-game season because the Warriors witnessed once more this go round.
Duarte as a rookie final season tied his profession excessive, dropping 27 factors on Golden State. For his expertise as a 24-year-old with 4 years of faculty basketball, many noticed Duarte as a Warriors goal within the 2021 draft. Andrew Nembhard, who turns 23 years previous subsequent month and performed 4 seasons at Gonzaga, discovered himself in the identical boat this previous June as a doable win-now goal for the defending champions.
The Warriors opted for upside, deciding on 19-year-old Patrick Baldwin Jr. at No. 28 general. Three picks later, the Pacers opened the second spherical by calling Nembhard’s title. And as soon as once more, a Pacers rookie loved a profession evening at Chase Middle.
Nembhard lit the Warriors up to the tune of 31 factors, 13 assists and eight rebounds. All have been new profession highs, alongside along with his 5 3-pointers. Coming into the evening, essentially the most factors he had scored in an NBA sport was 16. His most assists have been 10, his most rebounds have been six and his most 3-pointers have been 4. Over his four-year school profession, essentially the most factors Nembhard scored in a sport was 25 twice.
He turned the primary participant in NBA historical past to attain no less than 30 factors and have no less than 10 assists in a participant’s first sport in opposition to the Warriors.
“He was hooping,” Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo mentioned. “I feel that begins within the first half from us. The guards obtained to get into him just a little bit extra. They need to really feel us just a little bit extra and never let him get 21 makes an attempt.
“That is quite a lot of makes an attempt. I feel that is the distinction.”
From the beginning, it was clear this wasn’t about to be a stroll within the park for the Warriors — regardless of who they have been going in opposition to. They have been outscored 34-21 within the first quarter and allowed far too many simple baskets. Lacking Andrew Wiggins‘ two-way means definitely was an element, however Kerr and the coaches refused to permit that to be an excuse.
A beginning lineup of Steph Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney nonetheless ought to be capable of get the job accomplished in opposition to the group of Pacers who have been on the ground. A minimum of on paper. The sport is not performed there, although.
What was the largest drawback? Kerr turned to his crew’s offensive execution, and put the loss on his shoulders.
“I imply, the sport was scattered they usually have been attending to the rim fairly a bit and our protection wasn’t nice,” Kerr mentioned. “However we did not assault in a good way and we did not adapt and regulate to the way in which they have been guarding us and that is on me.
“I’ve obtained to do a greater job of serving to the blokes acknowledge what the protection is doing and the way we are able to counterattack that. Simply felt like we by no means discovered that offensive groove that we wanted.”
The Warriors shot 40.4 % from the sector and a lowly 29.5 % from deep, practically 9 % worse than their season common. A part of that low quantity was Steph Curry reminding us that he’s human in any case.
Curry scored solely 12 factors, going 3-for-17 general and 2-for-10 on 3-pointers. It was his least quantity of factors scored in a sport this season, in addition to his fewest made pictures and 3-pointers. The final time Steph scored 12 factors or much less in a full sport was March 3 of final season when he dropped eight in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The subsequent sport, Curry responded with 47 factors and 7 3-pointers.
RELATED: Steph addresses fake viral video of five straight full-court shots
Within the grand scheme of issues, this is not a sport the place the Warriors will hold their heads and cry what-if trying again on the schedule. It’s, nevertheless, the newest of their rising ebook of classes to be realized. Wiggins shall be again, as will Curry’s shot.
With a shrug and many heads shaking from befuddlement, mark this down as a irritating loss for the Warriors — one they hope is a tiny blip within the much-larger image of a seven-month common season.
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