Steve Kerr is visibly upset when Klay Thompson fouls Russell Westbrook late within the Warriors' loss to the Clippers.
SAN FRANCISCO — — When the Golden State Warriors stopped enjoying the stingy protection that has carried them not too long ago, Paul George and Norman Powell discovered each opening.
Powell made 4 3-pointers over the ultimate 7:03 to attain 21 factors and outduel Stephen Curry down the stretch, and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from 12 behind within the fourth quarter to beat the Warriors 130-125 on Wednesday night time.
James Harden had 26 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists, and George scored 24 factors earlier than fouling out on an evening the Clippers have been lacking main scorer Kawhi Leonard due to a left leg damage. His standing for this weekend’s All-Star Recreation in Indianapolis was unsure, although coach Tyronn Lue didn’t sound overly involved in regards to the damage.
“I don’t assume it’s severe,” Lue mentioned. “He performed by it final sport. He was experiencing some soreness within the hip, so when the sport acquired out of attain we didn’t put him again within the fourth quarter to be sensible about it.”
Curry scored 41 factors and have become the primary participant in NBA historical past to make seven or extra 3-pointers in 4 straight video games, taking pictures 9 for 19 from deep and 15 of 31 general. He notched his sixth 40-point efficiency of the season and has scored 30 or extra in three of his final 4 video games.
“I assumed we let Steph get away from us,” George mentioned. “So I assumed as soon as we locked in and keyed into these conditions, we knew we had an opportunity.”
George scored 5 straight factors to spark a 10-0 run halfway by the fourth as Los Angeles got here again, then Powell’s 3 with 7:03 remaining pulled the Clippers inside 106-104. Powell made one other 3 that put Los Angeles forward with 5:36 left and hit once more from deep with 3:22 to go for the lead.
“We misplaced management of the sport defensively and I don’t assume we adjusted effectively sufficient as a training workers,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned.
Issues acquired heated early within the fourth when Clippers middle Mason Plumlee put a tough foul on Brandin Podziemski after the rookie secured a defensive rebound with 9:36 left. Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga shoved Plumlee as others held again Draymond Green, who already has served a pair of suspensions this season.
Lue was then ejected for a second technical foul, Kuminga obtained a technical and Plumlee a flagrant foul.
Inexperienced went down exhausting in the important thing beneath the Warriors’ basket with 8:56 left within the third quarter and went to the locker room. He was examined for a concussion and cleared to return.
Kerr was denied his five hundredth regular-season win as he and a few of his assistant coaches rejoined the group on the bench after touring to Serbia for the funeral Dejan Milojevic and lacking Monday’s win at Utah.
Golden State squandered a double-digit result in lose for the ninth time, with the Clippers having come again in two of these video games.
“When the rating was 106-96 it form of felt like we simply stopped enjoying and form of felt sorry for (ourselves) and through that stretch they made some powerful pictures,” Podziemski mentioned. “I believe we form of gave up just a little bit after which they began making the straightforward ones.”
Podziemski made his preliminary 4 pictures with a pair of 3-pointers to assist the Warriors take a 59-52 halftime lead and completed with a career-best 25 factors — additionally making a career-high 5 3s with out a miss — to go along with seven rebounds and eight assists earlier than he takes half within the Rising Stars Recreation on Friday at All-Star weekend.
The Warriors had their five-game profitable streak snapped with simply their second defeat within the final 9.
Los Angeles had dropped six straight and 20 of 24 on the Warriors’ residence flooring.
“Nice vibe,” George mentioned of going into the break on a excessive notice. “There’s undoubtedly momentum going into the second half of the season. So it was nice.”
Golden State acquired excellent news that veteran guard Chris Paul can ramp up his on-court work after the All-Star break and take part in some parts of apply as he recovers from a damaged left hand that required surgical procedure Jan. 8. He’s scheduled to be re-evaluated in one other 10 days.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Go to Oklahoma Metropolis on Feb. 22.
Warriors: At Utah on Thursday night time having received 4 straight highway video games. It’s a make-up sport from Jan. 17 after Milojevic had a coronary heart assault at a group dinner in Salt Lake Metropolis on Jan. 16 and died the following day — suspending the scheduled matchup.
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