Jimmy Butler didn’t resolve all of the Warriors’ issues, in any case.
After profitable the primary two video games of the Butler period, the Warriors dropped one in all their worst losses of the season. In Dallas, in entrance of a crowd nonetheless reeling from the Luka Doncic commerce aftershocks, towards a group with out seven of its finest gamers, Golden State’s fourth-quarter comeback got here up brief.
Turnovers, missed layups and defensive breakdowns — hallmarks of the Warriors’ slide after their 12-3 begin — returned even with Butler within the fold. The Warriors had a golden probability to earn their first profitable streak since November, and so they blew it in a 111-107 defeat.
Regardless that the Mavericks didn’t have a wholesome middle, the Warriors (27-27) couldn’t hit a shot on the rim, going 31-for-58 (53.4%) within the paint and performed matador protection on the perimeter. Kyrie Irving put his depleted group on his again with 42 factors on 15-for-25 taking pictures, feasting on overmatched defenders all night time.
“Not good,” Steve Kerr mentioned postgame when requested concerning the state of his group’s perimeter protection. “My mistake was probably not hitting Kyrie earlier and getting the ball out of his hands. I think we did a pretty effective job of that in the fourth quarter. I probably should’ve gone to that earlier.”
Butler logged 21 factors, 9 rebounds and 7 assists to assist Steph Curry’s 25 factors, however the Warriors shot simply 28.6% from 3. Klay Thompson, the previous Warriors icon, had it going early and scored 17 total.
There’s no disgrace in dropping to the Mavericks, however dropping to those Mavericks is brutal.
Anthony Davis, who arrived within the surprising Luka Doncic commerce, is anticipated to overlook a number of weeks with a left abductor pressure. Dereck Energetic, Daniel Gafford and Dwight Powell are additionally harm, leaving the Mavericks to play five-out for a lot of the recreation. Butler, at 6-foot-7, was typically the tallest participant on the court docket.
Even because the Warriors dominated on the glass and with second-chance factors, their 3s didn’t fall and neither did their layups. Turnovers and defensive breakdowns allowed Dallas to take a 14-point lead within the first half.
The Warriors have been so annoyed, Terry Stotts and Draymond Inexperienced wanted to carry again Kerr from an official throughout a timeout after he picked up a technical foul.
Irving poured in three 3-pointers within the span of 40 seconds within the third quarter, taking up the sport. With out Andrew Wiggins, who’s now a Miami Warmth, the Warriors are going to leak towards dynamic scoring guards like Irving and Damian Lillard, who went for 38 towards Golden State in Milwaukee.
The Warriors had no good defensive choices towards him. Buddy Hield spent an excessive amount of time making an attempt to examine him. Butler nonetheless isn’t in ok situation to chase him round. Gary Payton II sometimes doesn’t give Golden State sufficient offensively to play heavy minutes. Moses Moody is healthier at sizing up greater opponents than faster ones.
Irving continued the development in a significant manner.
Moses Moody helped Golden State climate Irving’s sizzling hand, reaching double-digit scoring for the twelfth time in his previous 14 video games. However the Warriors haven’t been a group that may mount comebacks all 12 months, and so they’re now 1-21 in video games through which they path getting into the fourth quarter.
After a weird missed name on a kick-ball violation, Kerr known as a timeout together with his group down 9 early within the fourth.
Irving hit two extra 3s and the Warriors saved tricking layups. Whilst Butler bullied his option to the rim for an and-1 and earned foul pictures, Golden State’s protection bled factors. They by no means contained the ball, permitting drives that led both to pictures on the rim or kickouts to the perimeter.
The Warriors halted the Mavericks’ late-game offense by sending double groups at Irving. Inexperienced additionally made a spectacular rejection on Max Christie on the rim and disrupted one other layup.
However Golden State wanted extra stops.
Irving bought a useful name on a rip-through transfer for 3 foul pictures after which sank a contested 3 to present Dallas a late lead.
Curry tied the sport by going 1-for-2 on the stripe, however Naji Marshall’s leaner within the paint with 25.6 seconds left put the Mavs again forward.
With an opportunity to tie or take the lead, Kerr put the ball in Butler’s palms. However he barreled over Irving for an offensive foul. Though he joined Wilt Chamberlain and Kevin Durant as the one gamers to attain at the very least 20 factors of their first three video games as a Warrior, he did so in a loss.
It’s unclear if the Warriors could have Curry and Butler accessible in Houston on Thursday on the second night time of a back-to-back. The group will land early within the morning and determine it out with the coaching employees from there.
“I don’t know,” Kerr mentioned. “It’s a tough back-to-back. That’s what makes this loss even more frustrating.”
Initially Revealed: February 12, 2025 at 9:25 PM PST
