Warriors’ abysmal defense sabotages another heroic Steph Curry performance

Warriors’ abysmal defense sabotages another heroic Steph Curry performance originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephen Curry strolled into Moda Center in Portland on Sunday and fried the Trail Blazers for 48 points, 21 in the fourth quarter – and the Warriors lost the lead and the game.

If this feels like déjà vu, please know that it is. Two nights earlier, at Chase Center, Curry lit up the Timberwolves for 39 points, 14 in the fourth quarter – and the Warriors lost the lead and the game.

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If Steph were to allow himself a moment to weep, who would not understand?

Instead, Curry walked off the floor with his head high after this 136-131 loss. He was greeted by downcast teammates looking as if they wanted to hug him but offering only polite daps and soft back pats that seemed to serve as silent apologies.

That would not have been necessary if Curry would have prevented the Blazers from scoring 40 points, on 65-percent shooting, in the fourth quarter. Or if he were able to keep the Timberwolves from piling up 39 points, on 70-percent shooting, in the fourth quarter on Friday.

As hard as Curry tries to pull the Warriors from this expanding sea of mediocrity, their defense keeps dragging them back underwater.

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“When you make 24 3s – Steph makes 12 of them – you should win the game,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters in Portland.

“And, obviously, we couldn’t stop (the Blazers). They made 20 3s themselves.”

The Blazers, dead last in the NBA3-point shooting efficiency at 32.8 percent, shot 51.3 percent (20 of 39) against Golden State. At least 13 attempts were open, if not wide open.

In defiance of their fourth-rated defense, the Warriors once again did a poor job of stopping penetration, of forcing drivers to their weak hand, and Portland took advantage. When the defense collapsed, the driver almost always had kickout to a teammate lounging beyond the arc.

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Deni Avdija swept past Jimmy Butler III and Curry on Portland’s first possession and zipped a 20-foot pass to Jeremi Grant open in the right corner. He drained the triple. Grant, who scored 35 points, shot…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/warriors-abysmal-defense-sabotages-another-232120150.html

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Publish date : 2025-12-14 23:21:00

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