SAN FRANCISCO — “What if” has been the defining query of the Warriors’ season, and Golden State had to be left questioning the same after taking one of the NBA’s high groups to the wire but falling short once again with their famous person watching in road garments.
The Warriors merely lacked the firepower to put away the Cavaliers, permitting a group enjoying its third recreation in 4 nights to rating 18 of the closing 29 factors in a 118-111 loss.
The excellent news is the Warriors won’t be left questioning much longer, with Steph Curry reportedly set to make his long-awaited return on Sunday. In the meantime, an undermanned Warriors group put in a valiant effort but took its 18th loss in 27 video games without Curry.
Gui Santos scored 25 and Brandin Podziemski sank a couple clutch 3s to end with 23, but the Warriors had no reply for the closing energy of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
Max Strus sank six 3s to end with 24 factors as Cleveland shot 44.4% from deep (16-for-36) and 51.2% from the subject (42-for-82) to offset the Warriors’ 23 factors off their 15 turnovers.
What it means
There’s little the Warriors can do at this level about their place in the Western Conference standings, so all that issues is how they’re in a position to combine Curry over their closing 5 video games.
The loss dropped them to 36-41, guaranteeing only their second .500 or worse end in Steve Kerr’s 12 seasons.
Turning level
Everything modified after Dennis Schroder delivered a onerous foul on LJ Cryer early in the fourth quarter. Schroder fouled Cryer from behind under the basket and pushed him to the ground, incomes a flagrant, and was assessed a technical only seconds later.
The play ignited the crowd inside Chase Center and the Warriors alike.
The Cavs were main 94-87 at the time, but the Warriors used three technical free throws from Cryer and a pair of 3-pointers from Brandin Podziemski to take their first lead since the early moments of the first quarter with a 9-0 run that put them forward 98-94 with 7:57 remaining.
Including calls against Draymond Green and Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson, there were three technicals and one flagrant called within a span of less than 30 seconds.
Cleveland held a number of leads of double digits early, but it was a battle from then on.
MVP: Gui Santos
Santos sank a clutch nook 3 that put the Warriors up 103-100 with less than 4 minutes to play and usually regarded unbothered by a pelvic contusion that saved him out Wednesday evening.
That was the last time the Warriors led, as Mitchell offered an quick reply on the other finish with his own triple and the Cavs outscored Golden State 16-8 the relaxation of the approach.
Stat of the recreation: 54
The Warriors rested Kristaps Porzingis, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos and Gary Payton II in Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs with the intent of having them obtainable against the Cavs.
The 4 gamers mixed for 54 of Golden State’s factors.
Everybody made an impression except Melton, who completed 2-of-12 from the subject for 5 factors.
Up next
Curry could be back in uniform the next time the Warriors take the court. After lacking his twenty seventh consecutive recreation with runner’s knee, Curry is set to be re-evaluated before Golden State hosts the Rockets on Sunday. If all checks out, it could be Curry’s first recreation since Jan. 30.
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