Finding the clear silver lining of Warriors’ early NBA cup exit

[ad_1]

Finding the clear silver lining of Warriors’ early NBA cup exit originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The NBA Cup was a chance for the Warriors to compete on the big stage, under bright lights and brighter courts, even in the middle of December. To earn some extra cash, to measure themselves with the best in the league and to prove their winning culture has been re-established.

All that came to a crashing, controversial halt Wednesday night in Houston when the Warriors lost in the quarterfinals to the Rockets at Toyota Center, 91-90. In more ways than one, the loss also might have been the best thing for the Warriors.

It dropped them to 14-10 after starting the season 12-3. The Warriors were vocal in their desire to make it to Las Vegas for the semifinals and finals. Every win matters, as does building winning habits. But sometimes rest and reset is exactly what a team needs.

Especially during the type of stretch in the schedule the Warriors had been facing.

“We have one game in the next seven days, so we’ll have four good practices,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Friday after practice at Chase Center. “I think it really allows us to address some of these situational things in our late-game offense, late-quarter stuff.

“And it’s on us as a group – coaches and players – it’s on us to make these improvements and start closing these games out.”

Beginning with their final NBA Cup group stage game, another controversial end but this time in Denver against the Nuggets, the Warriors played five games in just over a week’s time. They went 2-3 in that stretch, beating the Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves at home, while also losing to the Timberwolves at home and to the Nuggets and Rockets on the road.

Little time was allowed for rest and correcting mistakes that have bit the Warriors at the worst times. Now, they have the ability to focus on both.

“I mean, it’s the silver lining,” Kerr said. “We’d rather be in Vegas playing tomorrow, obviously, but we’re not. So let’s take advantage of the schedule. Get some rest, get guys healthy, get some good practices in and get…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/finding-clear-silver-lining-warriors-232802735.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-12-13 23:28:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.