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Warriors’ Steve Kerr believes 37-point blowout will be a ‘one-off’ after Thunder loss
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- Warriors’ Steve Kerr believes 37-point blowout will be a ‘one-off’ after Thunder loss
Warriors' Steve Kerr believes 37-point blowout will be a 'one-off' after Thunder loss appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – When you lose by 37 points to the Oklahoma City Thunder , with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green sidelined , the takeaways are slim.
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An ugly Golden State Warriors offense without the main engine to power it forward. The best team in the league's star power and depth on full display. The difference between a team on pace to win 70 games and a team treading water in the play-in tournament race. All those things were on full display in the Warriors' uncompetitive 131-94 loss to the Thunder.
However, whether those deficiencies will persist is the bigger question.
Heading into this game, there was confidence beginning to emanate from the Warriors. They had won five of their last six games, putting up 119+ points in each of those games. They pointed to consistency they've had found in sticking to a starting lineup, they pointed to the chemistry brewing from a solidified the rotation. Golden State had some real momentum after more than a few hiccups and road bumps prior.
So in the wake of their largest loss, point differential-wise, of the season, the question lingers– will this blunt Golden State's momentum moving forward? Head coach Steve Kerr does not believe it will .
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"No. No," Kerr repeated, shaking his head adamantly when posed the question. "We've had a string of games, obviously, just got back from the trip. This was the first of three of four [games]. I think this is a one-off and we'll bounce back tomorrow night."
The justifications behind Kerr's belief that this blowout loss is an anomaly are easy to make. No Curry, Butler, or Green– how many teams can beat the Thunder without their three best players? Not to mention missing De'Anthony Melton, who's statistically one of the Warriors' most additive players this season. And then there is the fact that this was the fourth game in six nights. Not exactly a game scheduled on a forgiving timeline.
"The flow is different," Moses Moody explained when asked how the offense changes when the star core is out.
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"Steph, Jimmy, Dray, they have the ball a lot and we play through them a lot. So when they're not there, that changes a lot of things. Everybody's in situations they're not used to."
But Kerr acknowledged the performance they put on was not to their standards.
"Obviously, we're short-handed, but I don't think that is an excuse for the way we played. We weren't well organized, we didn't compete well together. Disappointing. Obviously playing the best team in the league, but I thought we could have been a lot better."
Kerr pointed to the offensive woes and lack of cohesion. Golden State went 35.6% from the field and 29.5% from beyond the arc. Kerr had hoped to see better ball movement, better execution in the halfcourt, but instead the rhythm stalled and the shot that followed didn't go in .
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"We had some good looks early but didn't knock down the open ones that could have given us a little momentum. But it just felt like the second half, we just didn't have it. No rhythm. We got to turn the page quickly. Another game tomorrow."
With the lottery bound Utah Jazz on the horizon , the Warriors should be able to get back on track. Kerr cleared Green to return and reinforce the Dubs and expressed hope Curry and Butler could get back on the court as well.
However, their availability remains a bit of question mark. Curry's dealing with a sprained ankle he tweaked at the end of the Charlotte Hornets win. And Butler is saddled with an illness that kept him home and not at the game. There's some hope they can return but nothing is for certain.
Regardless, the best way through a loss like this is to, as Kerr put it, turn the page quickly. Short memory serves people well when it comes to basketball. And it helps when there's another game on the heels of this loss.
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"I think it's pretty easy to do when you got to do it tomorrow," Moody said. "You get another shot at it. We had a lot of momentum coming into this game. Still feel that."
Related: Did Steve Kerr hint at Jonathan Kuminga's time with Warriors coming to an end?
Related: Warriors' Pat Spencer has words for entire Thunder bench
Other notables
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Jonathan Kuminga was a late scratch from this game, ruled out with lower back soreness. While he was a DNP-CD in nine of the last 10 games entering this one, Kerr had planned to play him "a lot of minutes" if he were able to go. Kuminga's trade restriction expires January 15th, less than two weeks from now.
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As per the Warriors' policy of Al Horford not suiting up for both ends of a back-to-back, he will not play against the Jazz. He played 15 minutes against the Thunder.
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Kerr did not provide an official word on Melton's availability tomorrow but there's a good chance he's available for the Jazz game. Golden State listed him with a " left knee; injury management " designation, which is the same designation as when he missed the Toronto Raptors road game. That was also the front end of a back-to-back so it seems like Melton carries a similar back-to-back policy as Horford, as they continue to ease him back from ACL surgery.
