The Golden State Warriors suffered defeat at the hands of the LA Clippers despite holding a significant lead during the game. The Warriors have made a habit of losing games from a winning position this season and will likely be looking at ways to ensure they can sustain a lead once they’ve built it.
During his post-game press conference, Steve Kerr noted how the Clippers deserved credit for their comeback win and that the loss stung worse than the one against the Sacramento Kings. Kerr believes the Clippers won their game by playing hard and executing on both sides, whereas the Kings won because the Warriors took their foot off the gas and made mistakes.
“They picked up the pressure and kept us off the three-point line in the second half,” Kerr said. “I liked the response to that. To me, it felt like we deserved to win tonight. We took care of the ball, kept them off the foul line, and showed poise when they made their runs. So this one hurts way more than the Sacramento game. The Sacramento game, we deserved to lose…I like this version of our team. This is the version of our team I expect going forward. But this, no question, this hurts.”
The Warriors have not had a substantial period with their primary rotation available. Chris Paul, Draymond Green, and Steph Curry have all missed stretches due to injury or suspension. Kerr’s team has looked more like the Warriors of old over their last three or four games. As such, there’s reason to be encouraged and to believe they’re on the right track.
"It felt like we deserved to win."
Kerr says this loss hurts more than the one in Sacramento on Tuesday pic.twitter.com/9LnoPId4zY
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 2, 2023
Golden State currently boasts a 9-11 record. They sit 11th in the Western Conference, one spot outside the play-in tournament. Golden State needs to figure out their recent struggles and find a way to return to being one of the more dominant teams in the Western Conference.