What we learned as Steph struggles in Spurs’ win over Dubs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors badly need a day off. Looking for an ounce of gas to carry them to the final buzzer, the Warriors hit empty and couldn’t find another gear in a 104-94 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday evening at the Frost Bank Center.
Andrew Wiggins scored a team-high 20 points, giving him 20 points or more in four consecutive matches.
But Steph Curry had an extremely rough night, scoring just 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting as he couldn’t find his shot.
In the first quarter, the Warriors shot 50 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from 3-point range. They finished the night with a 37.9 percent success rate overall and made just 31.8 percent of their shots from long range.
Victor Wembanyama, in his first game back from injury, had a plus-16 record with 25 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ ugly loss before heading home from their two-game road trip.
Fourth quarter implosion
With just under two minutes left in the third quarter, the Warriors pushed their lead to 17 points, their largest of the night. Neither team scored for the next 55 seconds until Malaki Branham put the Spurs into a 15-point deficit. Everything changed after that.
In the final minute of the third quarter, the Spurs went on a 7-0 lead and carried that momentum into the fourth quarter when the Warriors were outscored 33-13.
How cold did the Warriors get? Curry nailed a three at 6:38 to give the Warriors a 90-86 lead. The Warriors then didn’t score again until Draymond Green made a free throw at 2:08. Their next successful shot didn’t come until Curry made a three at 1:19.
That means the Warriors went five minutes and 19 seconds without a shot in the fourth quarter. Game over. As simple as that.
It was the first time the Warriors lost by 10 or more points in a game they once led by at least 17 points since November 27, 2000.
Tired legs
The Warriors’ two oldest players, Curry (36) and Green (34), looked like their two oldest players on the second night of a back-to-back. Although the Warriors had played a back-to-back game before Saturday night, it was Curry’s first this season. He was injured when they faced the Pelicans on back-to-back nights late last month.
Curry and Green each had to play more than 30 minutes the night before in New Orleans. Coach Steve Kerr sat them both to start the fourth quarter until eight minutes remained, knowing he would need both of his stars to get the Warriors to a win.
Curry played 32 minutes and Green gave Golden State 27 minutes before fouling out. Together they scored 15 points. Curry had 14.
Green missed all five of his shot attempts, including three 3-pointers. Curry was a modest 5 of 16 from the field and went 3 of 10 from beyond the arc. The Warriors needed other players, especially younger players, to step up.
Not enough. Curry and Green have been great to start the season. It was a night to forget for the dynamic duo.
Attacking Wemby
There has to be a limit to the 3-point revolution in the NBA, and Wembanyama should be the test case everyone needs to look at. Need proof? Look at his shot chart in the first half.
Not a single shot in the paint while making 2 of 6 from 3-point range. Here’s how his full shot chart ended up.
The Frenchman prefers to play like Ray Allen rather than an imposing big man, and the Warriors have taken advantage of his tendencies. This also includes both sides of the ball. After the first quarter, they had a 10-point advantage – 14 to 4 – in points in the paint. By halftime, the Warriors had doubled the Spurs’ points in the paint, 24-12.
But as their legs wore out, the Warriors finished with just two more points than the Spurs – 44 to 42. Wembanyama took 13 3-pointers, but also made three blocks.
