Golden State continues to show its problems to win away from the Chase Center. Kerr’s team added their tenth consecutive defeat away from home this morning by losing in Atlanta 127-119, a result that makes them fall to play-in positions and that continues to raise doubts about their ability to repeat success in the postseason. Their irregularity took their toll again and caused them to be defeated by the Hawks, who with this result cling to eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
The locals dominated the match for many minutes and led by up to 14 points in the second half (87-73), but the Californians managed to row against the current to gradually reduce this disadvantage and arrive with options at the end. However, at the moment of truth they were unable to give the finishing touch to their rival and the victory ended up staying at the State Farm Arena. After placing just one point (120-119) from DiVincenzo, Klay and Curry missed three consecutive triples that would have put them ahead in the final moments, and after several free throws made by the locals and a loss by Steph that ended in a layup Bring Young the comeback options were finally buried.
Atlanta closed the match with an 8-0 run that allowed them to breathe with relief and avoid a setback that would have made it even more difficult for them to qualify. The visitors’ defense, which found itself in the last quarter, caused them stalemates that were close to costing them dearly, but they knew how to contain the final attacks and close the victory with the good defensive action of Young over Curry.
The point guard, with 25 points and 12 assists, finished as the best of his team, although he found plenty of support throughout the night. John Collins followed close behind with 22 goals, while Onyeka Okongwu led the second unit with 19. In total, seven men in the squad finished in double figures and were important contributors to the game going forward.
In the Warriors, Stephen Curry was in charge of pulling his own with 31 points until the end, and in fact his 10 goals in the last quarter gave Golden State a chance to complete the comeback. His success, however, disappeared in the final bars, in which he could not materialize his options and had to see how another defeat was added to his locker. Donte DiVincenzo and Kevon Looney, with 18 each, were his unexpected squires, since neither Klay nor Poole were completely successful.
“I don’t think there’s a mental factor,” Steve Kerr commented when asked about the team’s slump on the road. “We are competing and we are playing well, but in this league it is difficult to win away from home and we are not achieving it. I think great things await this team in the qualifiers, but for that we have to be there first.”
(Cover photo: Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)