The deciding sequence was a perfect microcosm of the Warriors’ (47-25) performance vs. the Magic (20-53) on Tuesday.
Andrew Wiggins hit a 3-pointer to give Golden State a 88-86 lead with 1:07 left. On the next possession, Magic guard Cole Anthony looked to drive into the paint with Wiggins guarding him. Though Wiggins — who has four inches on Anthony — was in good position, Draymond Green jumped to double team, leaving his man, Mo Bamba, wide open for a corner 3. Bamba nailed it, giving Orlando a one-point lead.
On the ensuing possession, Jordan Poole missed a layup with 36.3 seconds left, meaning the Warriors would need to get a stop, and then have one last chance for the win. Golden State played excellent defense, forcing a wild Franz Wagner 3-point attempt with 13.2 seconds remaining.
One problem. Klay Thompson needlessly fouled Wagner. The rookie hit all three free-throws, giving the Magic a 94-90 victory.
It concluded a brutal loss to what was supposed to be the easiest game of Golden State’s five-game road trip, one that included 17 turnovers, 40% shooting and an Wiggins disappearing act (5-of-19). The Warriors next four games are road contests vs. the Heat, Hawks, Wizards and Grizzlies. They sit just two games ahead of the the Jazz in the Western Conference’s No. 3 playoff seed.
Here are three takeaways from the forgettable performance:
Warriors show up for one quarter
You’ll have a hard time finding a worse half of basketball this season than what the Warriors put together in Orlando on Tuesday night. You’ll also have a hard time finding a worse quarter of basketball than what the Warriors did in the final frame.
Against the team with the second-worst record in the NBA, the Warriors put up 39 points on 36.5 percent shooting (15-of-41) in the first two quarters. Wiggins was 1-of-8, Klay Thompson 4-of-10 and Jordan Poole 1-of-6. It was a dismal showing, and one that made you question just how bad the Warriors might be without Stephen Curry.
Initially, it looked like a different team showed up in the second half. The ball movement was better leading to more open looks, and Golden State actually hit their open shots. Their 36 points in the frame almost equaled what they put up in the first 24 minutes.
Alas, it was all for not. The Warriors completely lost their composure in the fourth, turning the ball over a mind-boggling nine times while allowing the Magic to go on a 15-2 run. They were outscored 29-16 in the final 12 minutes. Ultimately it was the two bone-headed defensive plays that let the Magic pull away at the end, a fitting conclusion to a game the Warriors did not deserve to win.
The role of Stephen Curry played by Jordan Poole
A sequence late in the third quarter was a good example of both where this game shifted and how this stretch without Curry could shift for the Warriors.
Green ran a high-pick-and-roll with Poole. The Magic defense — starting to grow weary of Poole’s scoring — all dropped, leaving Green holding the ball at the top of the 3-point arc while Poole ran into a wall.
It seemed the play was stymied. That is until Poole turned around and ran back to Green, taking a handoff and curling around the forward, nailing an open 3.
It’s the type of action we’ve seen time and again from Green and Curry, the two All-Stars playing off each other until Curry either gets a good look or Green gets a lane to attack the defense. It’s also the type of action that Poole and Green need to replicate to get the most out of the offense with Curry gone.
So far, Poole is doing his part. Tuesday was his 10th straight game with 20 or more points (26 points, 5-of-13 from 3) and was another example of his ability as an offense-initiating ball-handler. In that sense, Poole’s style is different than Curry’s, who typically thrives off the ball. But Poole being a consistant threat gives the Warriors an offensive focal point (he was even double-teamed at one point on Tuesday) and opens up the floor for the rest of the Warriors who are accustomed to having Curry-provided space to work with.
Trying to sort out new rotation
Steve Kerr is still trying to figure out the rotation in this final stretch without Steph, and it led to a few interesting tweaks on Tuesday.
Most notable was the decision not to start Green at the beginning of the second half. Part of this is due to the fact that Green is still on a slight minutes restriction as he works his way back from injury. The other part has to do with Kerr going away from lineups that featured multiple players who aren’t a threat to score. Because Kerr likes to start halves with Kevon Looney, Green didn’t check in until midway through the third.
Without Curry, points are at a premium, and the Warriors’ brutal first half was enough to abandon any lineup without four scorers. It’s also why Gary Payton II — returning after an extended injury layoff — was mostly abandoned after the first half, and Moses Moody was bumped up in the rotation.
When Curry is in the lineup, his influence is so extreme that the Warriors can get away with multiple non-scorers on the floor. Without him, especially in games when one of Wiggins, Thompson or Poole aren’t hitting — it’s a non-starter. Even with a smaller rotation, don’t expect to see Payton, Juan Toscano-Anderson or Chris Chiozza getting much time during this Steph-less stretch.