The Golden State Warriors secured a victory against the Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament, but the win came with visible flaws.
Coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the team’s good fortune to even be in the play-in game, stating that in previous years, a tenth-place finish would have meant an early vacation.
The Warriors’ turnover issues, a recurring problem throughout the regular season, resurfaced during the game against the Clippers.
Turnovers Plague Golden State
Golden State’s 20 turnovers led to 35 points for the Clippers. Seven of the eight Warriors who played committed at least one turnover.
Gui Santos (four), Brandin Podziemski (three), Stephen Curry (three) and Draymond Green (three) led the way in turnovers for the Warriors. The Warriors’ risky play kept the Clippers ahead for much of the game.
Through the first three quarters, Los Angeles scored 28 points off 17 Golden State turnovers.
Fourth Quarter Surge Secures Victory
The Warriors turned the game around in the fourth quarter, scoring 43 points and shooting 75 percent from the field, including 72.7 percent from deep. They also forced six LA turnovers, scoring 11 points.
The Warriors limited their own turnovers to three, which resulted in seven points for the Clippers. Golden State won the fourth quarter by 11 points.
Clippers Coach Laments Turnovers
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue pointed to his team’s turnovers as a key factor in the loss. “We turned the ball over 18 times for 26 points,” Lue said.
The Warriors now face the Phoenix Suns in the final NBA play-in tournament game. They will need to address their turnover issues if they hope to continue their season.