On Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors were in New Orleans hoping to follow up an encouraging win on Sunday over the Nuggets with another win over the Pelicans, who came in with a 16-42 record, the second-worst team in the Western Conference. But things never came together for the Dubs, who are massively shorthanded and wound up with a frustrating, 113-109 loss.
It’s the sixth loss in the last nine games for the Warriors, who are already without Jimmy Butler (out for the season with an ACL tear) and now Stephen Curry (kneecap injury). Golden State is also missing center Kristaps Porzingis, acquired at the NBA trade deadline, who was out for the second straight game with an illness.
Kerr has declared that his team needs to play almost error-free basketball to win while so shorthanded, and they were far from error-free on Tuesday. In fact, there was frustration on the floor that spilled onto the bench, with an unlikely peacemaker–Draymond Green–stepping between two teammates to keep the bench focused.
Draymond Green Gives Talking to Brandin Podziemski, Quentin Post
On the play in question, late in the third quarter, the Warriors were trailing, 66-65, and point guard Brandin Podziemski had the ball at the top of the 3-point line. Big man Quentin Post pushed his way into post-up position deep in the paint, and had a clear opportunity to get off a shot hear the rim–if only Podziemski had delivered the ball.
But Podziemski held the ball, and Post was left without a touch, just before Kerr called a timeout. Post was clearly frustrated and told Podziemski that as the two went to the bench. Video shows Green stepping between the two and grabbing them by the arm to give them a talking-to, first to Post, then to Podziemski.
Warriors Have Gotten ‘Up and Down’ Season From Brandin Podziemski
It was an emblematic play for a night in which the Warriors never really seemed to be on the same page, as well as an emblematic play for the kind of season Podziemski has been having. Kerr has been tinkering with Podziemski’s minutes all season as he tries to balance the guard’s offensive talents against a sometimes frustrating unwillingness to share the ball.
Last week, Kerr acknowledged that Podziemski’s season has been “up and down” and said, “It’s really more a matter of finding that sweet spot that we’re trying to get him to, where he’s making plays but he’s not dominating the ball. That’s his next step.”
Warriors Were ‘Disjointed’ in Loss
Kerr, coming into the Warriors’ loss against the Pelicans, had cited the fact that creating space and playing quickly had been a key to the team’s defeat of the Nuggets on Sunday. Those aspects were never really there for the Warriors on Tuesday.
“It was the full 48 minutes,” Kerr said. “We had 21 turnovers. We did not execute very well offensively. Spacing was bad. Transition, we had probably three potential layups in the first half and we didn’t run, we didn’t cut, we didn’t get to the corners. So, we just looked a little disjointed.
“But the game was right there for us, and we just couldn’t execute well enough. With the injuries we have, we have to play well to win. We have to play well. And I don’t think we played well.”
Warriors’ Draymond Green Defuses Frustration Between Teammates in Loss