Kendra AndrewsESPN12:56 AM ET3 Minute Read
DENVER — Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson caught the ball in the right corner with 25 seconds remaining in their game against the Denver Nuggets Sunday night. Before Thompson even fully set up his shot and had a defender square in the face, he launched the shot and hit it, bringing his bat to two.
The Warriors forced a jump ball on next possession – which they won – and Thompson had two options to either win or tie the game. But none fell, resulting in Golden State’s 30th road loss of the season, this time a 112-110 decision.
After the game, Thompson was seen in the dressing room with his head in his hands. As he exited the ball arena, he hung his head as low as possible. He was disappointed he couldn’t get the job done, but he and the Warriors know they shouldn’t have been in this position in the first place.
The Warriors opened their game against the Nuggets with one of the best, cleanest, most complete basketball games of the year. For the first 18 minutes of the game, the ball was moving, their defense was strong and they were in total control. But by the middle of the second quarter it all went away.
“We had full control of the game until the middle of the second quarter. Then we stopped playing. We lost our focus on both sides,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “We were in control of the game and we just gave it back to them. We gave them life and they took advantage of it.
“We were brainless out there and not tough enough, not disciplined enough and in the end we didn’t deserve to win.”
Lack of focus was a common theme throughout the Warriors’ season, particularly on the road, leading them to post a 9-30 road record, the fourth-worst road record in the league this season and worst by a defending champion in NBA history .
And while there are only three games left in the regular season — two of which are en route — there’s no easy fix for Golden State.
“Most of the questions when we lose are about what went wrong and you try to point the finger at it, but obviously if we knew what to do about it, we would,” Curry said.
Donte DiVincenzo added: “Ultimately you have to look at yourself in the mirror. If you’re out there playing and waiting for someone else to tell you to get your head out, it’s not going to work. It won’t work win games. It has to start from within.”
Curry finished with 21 points but did so on 8 shots of 28, including just 2 of 14 of three. Meanwhile, Thompson scored 25 on 9-of-28 shooting.
Kerr wasn’t happy with that team’s shot selection throughout the game, saying the Warriors “didn’t trust each other” — another common theme in Golden State’s road losses.
At the end of the regular season, there’s a “natural concern” for the Warriors to win games away from the Chase Center, especially as they head into the postseason.
And at this point, a place in the playoffs isn’t a guarantee. If they had won all of their last four games — in Denver, host of Oklahoma City, in Sacramento and in Portland — Golden State couldn’t have finished worse than sixth. And given the Nuggets without Nikola Jokic, a young Thunder team, the Kings players could rest and the Trail Blazers with Damian Lillard closing, it was a possibility.
But with their loss in Denver, the play-in for Golden State is still very much in play.
“Those last three games have a sense of urgency and not just the wins but the vibe that you create going into a playoff series,” Curry said. “That matters.”
The Warriors know they want to feel good when it comes to the postseason. Even if it doesn’t show up in the wins column, they can have tremendous pride and confidence in the way they play, fueling their belief that they could make another post-season run.
They’ve had those moments this season, even when they haven’t won away. But Sunday in Denver wasn’t one of them.
Maybe it’s because they knew if they had won their four remaining games they could have secured sixth place. Also because they completely controlled this game and let it slip away from them. Or the fact that they just don’t have much time left.
“We have to come to the realization that if we’re going to win the playoffs or achieve anything, this type of game like tonight can’t happen,” Curry said.