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The Warriors are grappling with a string of defeats.
During Friday night’s game, they suffered a series of setbacks against the Pistons, losing Kristaps Porzingis early on, turning the ball over 26 times, and ultimately falling 115-101. This marks their ninth defeat in the past 11 games.
Both teams were missing key players, as Cade Cunningham was sidelined with a collapsed lung. However, Jalen Duren stepped up for Detroit, leading six Pistons players in double figures with 23 points.
The Warriors’ 26 turnovers, a season-high, resulted in Golden State taking nine fewer shots compared to the Pistons. Despite contributions from De’Anthony Melton, who scored 14 points, LJ Cryer, who made 3 of 5 from beyond the arc, and Brandin Podziemski with 15 points, the team struggled to find consistent scoring to compensate for their turnovers.
What it means
As the losses mount, it seems increasingly likely that the Warriors might face an away game in the 9-10 play-in tournament. Their recent defeat has dropped them to 10th place, trailing the eighth-place Trail Blazers and ninth-place Clippers.
Turning point
There was never a point where the Warriors played anything resembling clean basketball, so they were done as soon as the opening tip, even though they built a lead as large as nine midway through the first half.
With all their absences, the Warriors had little margin for error against the top team in the Eastern Conference, and they committed a cacophony of them.
MVP: Brandin Podziemski
All 11 Warriors who saw the floor committed at least one turnover, but Podziemski was only responsible for two despite acting as the primary ball handler for most of his minutes.
Stat of the game: 14
As their injuries piled up, the Warriors went 14 straight games with a different starting five each night. Steve Kerr was finally able to start the same lineup against Detroit as he did in Boston. Only the Grizzlies (16) have a longer streak in the NBA this season, while the last time the Warriors went 14 games in a row without the same starting five was in 2008-09.Â
It looks like Golden State will have to use another starting lineup Saturday against the Hawks after Porzingis left late in the first half with lower back soreness and did not return.
Up next
The Warriors face Jonathan Kuminga and the Hawks in the second half of a back-to-back on Saturday. Kuminga has missed 11 of 17 games since the Warriors traded him to Atlanta for Porzingis, but he is expected to be available against his former team.
Golden State is also set to provide an update on Steph Curry (knee), who missed his 20th consecutive game but has begun to increase his basketball activities.