Warriors can’t complete comeback, fall to Knicks 124-122 in overtime
SAN FRANCISCO — Facing a 22-point deficit to the Knicks in the second quarter, the Warriors could either let another disappointing loss wash over them, or battle back like they have so many times this season.
What began as a lopsided affair became a tightly-contested matchup between teams with the two worst records in the NBA, though the Warriors (5-21) lost 124-122 to the Knicks in overtime at Chase Center on Wednesday, reclaiming the league’s worst record.
After falling behind by 22 points in the first half, the Warriors outscored the Knicks 62-44 in the second half to force overtime.
“We had a lot more energy and determination in the second half. I thought the first half, we got behind and hung our heads a little bit and, in the second half, we fought. We fought like crazy,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “We got back in the game and just couldn’t quite pull it off.”
With 14 players available for the first time since the opening week of the season, more bodies provided more options, as Kerr mixed and matched lineups down the stretch to find something that worked. He brought center Willie Cauley-Stein off the bench in the second half to match up with Knicks 7-footer Mitchell Robinson and started Marquese Chriss at center to provide more versatility. He leaned on the trio of D’Angelo Russell, Draymond Green and Glenn Robinson III in crunch time.
“We decided if we found a group that played well, we would just stay with them,” Kerr said after the game.
Down by three with 7.7 seconds left, Russell was cornered by Robinson before he pirouetted into an off-balance 3-pointer to tie the game at the end of regulation. Russell scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“I feel like if I dribbled I would be helping him guard me,” Russell explained after the game. “He’s lengthy, but I don’t know, man, just trying to be as crafty as I can and get a shot up. Simple as that.”
D-LO. THREE. TIE GAME. pic.twitter.com/sgkWzD3zPd
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 12, 2019
The Warriors, however, were outscored by the Knicks 12-10 in overtime. Entering the game losers of 10 straight, the Knicks (5-20) concluded the second night of a back-to-back set in San Francisco after a 28-point loss in Portland on Tuesday. In a season filled with losses, this one to the Knicks could be considered the Warriors’ most disappointing, despite showing commendable fight.
Russell and guard Alec Burks led Golden State’s comeback. In the fourth quarter, Burks’ jumper erased New York’s lead, and then he used glass to convert on the go-ahead layup with 8:05 left in the game to give the Warriors a 91-89 advantage. Burks scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.
The lead lasted only briefly, as Knicks guard Elfrid Payton’s layup completed a 10-0 run that helped New York regain a 99-91 lead with 4:58 remaining in the game. But, again, the Warriors clawed back, outscoring the Knicks 21-13 in the final minutes of regulation.
The Knicks were led by forward Marcus Morris Sr., who finished with 36 points on 10-of-18 shooting and 10 rebounds. Rookie guard RJ Barrett finished with 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting and 10 rebounds.
For the Warriors, the loss ends a soft home stand before heading to Utah on Friday. As the disappointing losses pile up, so do the learning experiences.
“I think they learned that it’s a long game and that there is lots of time to come back. At halftime, we were down 18, and we were sort of lifeless, and we got back into the game pretty quickly in the third quarter,” Kerr said. “That’s a good lesson for young players in this league. It’s a really long game, and you have to stay with it.”