Warriors heed Kerr’s plea even as Steph struggles in loss

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Warriors heed Kerr’s plea even as Steph struggles in loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Eight different Warriors combined to take 24 shots Monday night before Stephen Curry took his first, a wayward 3-point attempt 85 seconds into the second quarter.

This is not what Warriors coach Steve Kerr had in mind in recent days when emphatically reminding Curry’s teammates that the two-time NBA MVP is the team’s featured offensive performer.

Yet in the flow of this game, this opposite approach seemed reasonable. Considering the amount of attention Curry was receiving from the Indiana Pacers, his teammates were getting cleaner looks. He recognized it and became more decoy than producer, more passer than shooter. He has filled that role many times in his 16-year NBA career, so this wasn’t new.

Not until Curry’s 24th minute, with 41.1 seconds left in the third quarter, did he make his first shot, a triple from the right wing, pulling Golden State’s deficit from nine to six (89-83) and bringing the anxious sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center to its feet.

That one shot provided a spark that was enough to lift the Warriors from an extended uphill slog, igniting a pulsating fourth quarter before it became apparent that neither Curry nor his teammates had what it took to finish the Pacers.

Even with the Warriors digging in and intensifying their defense over the final 12 minutes, Indiana had enough to close out a 111-105 victory. The Pacers outscored Golden State 14-8 over the final 4:43 to run their unbeaten streak at Chase Center to six games.

Harassed by Indiana bulldog guard Andrew Nembhard, who had plenty of help, Curry finished with 10 points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field, including 2-of-9 from beyond the arc.

“Tough night for him,” Kerr said. “It happens.”

Curry did not let himself off easy, conceding that his game, despite his fantastic finish Saturday in Minnesota, is missing its typical proficiency.

“It could be a lot better, and it will be,” he said. “We’re being defended a certain way, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. You just got to understand when…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-heed-kerrs-plea-even-075254936.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-12-24 07:52:00

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