San Francisco – The Warriors didn’t want it, however it could have made their lives a lot simpler.
Golden State began rapidly and led two-digit after half-time, however has nonetheless not been capable of retailer what gave the impression to be the simplest recreation to play.
Regardless of the primary 11 factors of the match and that 58 mixed Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors fell on Wednesday night on the San Antonio Spurs, 114-111, packing extra strain on their final two competitions.
“We all know the place we’re,” mentioned Curry after Golden State was upgraded by 15 within the fourth quarter. “I do not know the way it will have an effect on the place the place we’re after Sunday, however we nonetheless have two video games. Now we have to win them each and see what is going on on. We simply made issues harder for ourselves. ”
With none assist, the Warriors should win their final two video games in opposition to the Blazers and the Clippers of Path to win the seeded n ° 6 and keep away from the dreaded recreation event. They go to Portland on Friday and welcome Los Angeles to their common season remaining on Sunday.
“It goes over the course for a cause,” mentioned coach Steve Kerr. “There are lots of huge groups within the West, and there are only a few straightforward matches. There are simply only a few video games which are being arrange, and due to the three -point line within the fashionable NBA, you might be nonetheless weak. That is what introduced us tonight.”
The Warriors led by 14 factors within the second half, together with a bonus of 88-76 initially of the fourth quarter, however had been tied at 111 with 3.1 seconds on the chronometer when the ball discovered the arms of Harrison Barnes, which put a prayer from a 3-point territory which dropped by way of the web whereas the buzzer sounds.
“It is make-up artist on the finish of the sport, whether or not extra time or not, and also you by no means need to put your self on this place,” mentioned Curry. “We did it, and we died.”
Golden State had possession in an identical match with 32.6 seconds to do, however Barnes got here again huge, intercepting the incoming cross of Curry and putting in a lay-up of Keldon Johnson who put San Antonio at 111-109. Draymond Inexperienced sank a pair of free throws and San Antonio known as time, establishing the ultimate possession.
The Spurs outstripped the Warriors within the fourth quarter, 38-23. Barnes’ winner was their 18th pointer at 3 factors out of 46 makes an attempt (39.1%). It was the triple of Stephon Fort who equaled the match at 99 with 5:01 on the left who modified the tide, in line with Kerr.
“We simply could not comprise them defensively,” mentioned Kerr. “And whenever you do that, you permit the door open for blows just like the one Harrison hit on the finish.”
Curry completed with a summit of 30 factors, Butler paid 28 factors – 16 out of 17 makes an attempt by the free throw line – and Inexperienced crammed the 13 -point statistical sheet, 9 rebounds and eight assists. However it was not sufficient to beat the Spurs, which had misplaced eight of their 9 earlier video games between Wednesday, together with a rout of 148-106 final week in San Antonio.
With out Victor Wembanyama or’Aaron Fox, the Spurs had been led by three gamers who scored greater than 20 factors. Johnson and Fort every contributed 21 factors, and Barnes added 20 – on 6 out of 9 photographs from a 3 -point territory – to go along with two figures of 4 different scorers.
Initially revealed:
