BOX score
Playing the second half in a back-to-back road game, the Warriors held tight against the Milwaukee Bucks for most of the evening, but faded late in the fourth quarter and lost 129-118 at Fiserv Forum on Saturday night.
The loss, which came while coach Steve Kerr was giving Stephen Curry a rare day off, dropped Golden State's record to 18-21. The Warriors have lost seven of their last ten games.
Unlike many of their recent games, the Warriors showed many positive signs in the second game of the road trip.
Rookie Brandin Podziemski, playing in his hometown, started in place of Curry and continued to assert himself as one of the most combative and efficient players on the roster. Podziemski had his third double-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.
Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench and scored a team-high 28 points. Klay Thompson had 21 points and made six 3-pointers, passing LeBron James on the NBA's all-time list.
One night, after suffering a season-low five turnovers, the Warriors went one step further with just four turnovers against Milwaukee.
Golden State's defense, which continues to be a problem, actually took a big step when it limited the Bucks to 54 points in the first half. That ended a three-game streak when the Warriors allowed 70 or more points in the first half.
But in the end, the defense couldn't keep up as the bigger Bucks pulled away and secured the win.
Here are the takeaways:
Curry gets a day off
After pretty much carrying the Warriors through this up-and-down season, Curry finally got a much-needed day off from Kerr. The wear and tear on Curry has been noticeable lately. In his last four games, the nine-time NBA All-Star shot just 30 percent overall from the floor (21 of 70) and made 13 of 44 attempts from beyond the arc.
Given the team's shape, Curry will almost certainly continue to carry the majority of the workload at point guard. That's why giving him some rest now will be critical to the Warriors' future success potential.
In Curry's absence, Podziemski and Cory Joseph took turns running the point. Thompson also spent time moving the ball up the field and directing the offense.
Attack the paint
Normally a team that thrives on the perimeter with its 3-point prowess, the Warriors changed things up and were more effective Saturday by being aggressive and attacking the paint instead of shooting from outside.
That was significant considering the Bucks' interior defense is anchored by 6-foot-11 star Giannis Antetokounmpo and 7-foot-1 Brook Lopez, while the Warriors were missing their top scoring threat.
Still, Golden State showed no fear when running the lane and did a good job of kicking the ball out when the defense was too strong. The Warriors scored 60 points in the zone, matching the Bucks' indoor scoring output.
Golden State averaged more than 40 3-point attempts before the game in Milwaukee, but was 13 for 31 against the Bucks.
SECOND UNIT SHINES
With Curry on the bench, the Warriors needed some offense wherever they could find it. The bank once again delivered exactly that.
Kuminga was once again a dominant figure, scoring in double figures in his 19th straight game by shooting 10 of 18. He scored a game-winning three-point play in the fourth quarter after drawing Bobby Portis' fifth foul of the game.
Trayce Jackson-Davis contributed 12 points, and the rarely used Lester Quinones also chipped in, matching his career-high nine points.
Overall, the undermanned Warriors bench had a 49-23 lead over the Bucks.
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