Stephen Curry is having an MVP season, but the Golden State Warriors continue to blow double-digit leads.
Curry has gotten bored of talking about what the Warriors must do to alter their fortunes after they went two games below.500 during a 138-136 overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 8.
“I don’t know man,” a dejected Curry told reporters after the loss. “We got to figure out how to stop talking about it and do it or else [we’ll] be into the new year with the same problem. So whatever it is, if it’s within our control, we got to do it if we’re going to be any type of a serious team. And yeah, I’m kind of sick of talking about it too. So [we] just got to go do it.”
Curry scored 34 points, raising his season scoring average to 29.9 points per game. The Warriors, on the other hand, wasted a 14-point lead to the Thunder by committing a season-high 28 turnovers. It was also the most turnovers they have in a single game under Steve Kerr.
Curry had three turnovers, while the rest of the starters had a total of 16.
The Warriors’ turnover problems have persisted since last season, when they averaged a league-worst 16.3 errors per game. They are slightly better this season, averaging 15.9 points per game and ranking 26th in the league.
The Thunder took advantage of the Warriors’ inconsistent play, scoring 35 points off turnovers.
“They made their run especially at home with a lot of self-inflicted wounds,” Curry said. “I know we had a couple of turnovers in transition that you’re trying to push the pace and kind of get into a bind or just dumb passes. But 28 [turnovers]? Like I almost want to just go watch all of them just to see if there’s a pattern that revealed itself.”
Steve Kerr Keeps The Faith
Kerr still kept the faith despite another ugly loss.
“We’re good enough to win a championship,” Kerr said. “This team. I believe that. But if we are just going to turn it over and throw the ball to the other team and foul over and over, then we’re going to lose.”
“We know the formula. We just controlled that whole game on the road against a great team,” Kerr added. “That’s our game. So, yeah turnovers and fouls [were the reasons we lost].”
With eight seconds remaining, Draymond Green’s erroneous foul on rookie Chet Holmgren’s 3-point shot forced overtime. While Curry missed a difficult jumper against Lu Dort at the buzzer, the Thunder’s diminutive big man calmly sank all three free throws.
Steve Kerr Stands Firmly by His Starting Lineup, Regardless of Outcome
Despite dropping hints about a potential shakeup in the Warriors’ starting lineup, Kerr ultimately adhered to the same group that initiated games over the past two seasons.
“It’s more of a big picture,” Kerr said before the game via The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “I’ve got to see — with Draymond’s suspension — we didn’t get a really chance to see this group for the full quarter of the season. It has just been a weird start for the year, a lot of things, a lot of moving parts. I want to give them another chance and see how it goes. They have a proven track record with them. I’ve got to keep giving them opportunities.”