Golden State’s Five-Basket Opening Sets the Cost of Curry’s Absence

Five baskets in the opening quarter left Golden State with a long evening in San Antonio. The Warriors shot 5 for 25, trailed 38–14 after the period and lost 123–85 Friday. By halftime, the Spurs led 63–33.

Several players had opportunities to supply the missing offense. Too many of those chances ended without a basket, leaving the Warriors with a problem much broader than one cold shooter.

Stephen Curry’s absence was real and important. He was listed out with a right oblique tear, alongside Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. But the Warriors could not treat Curry’s absence as permission for every other perimeter player to become a larger, less efficient version of himself.

Yaxel Lendeborg, De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski combined to shoot 6-for-34. Lendeborg finished 1-for-13 for three points, Melton went 3-for-11 for eight and Podziemski was 2-for-10 for eight.

Those numbers describe more than missed jumpers. They describe a large portion of the offense producing very little while the rest of the group had to compensate. Melton supplied three assists, Lendeborg one and Podziemski none, so the trio combined for four assists.

That is not a verdict on every possession, nor does it identify who should have taken a particular attempt. It does show that expanded responsibility did not become expanded team creation.

San Antonio scored the opening 18 points. Golden State finally answered on Gui Santos’ driving layup with 5:53 left in the first quarter. Julian Champagnie then made a three for the Spurs before LJ Cryer hit from long range, leaving Golden State behind 21–5. Even the Warriors’ first few makes could barely interrupt the shape of the quarter.

Podziemski’s three-pointer with 36.9 seconds remaining made it 36–13. Yaxel Lendeborg later added a free throw, but Luke Kornet’s tip at the horn sent San Antonio into the break ahead 38–14. Golden State had finally put a few points together and still finished the quarter down 24.

Golden State’s best argument against a simple offensive indictment was the three-point line. The Warriors made 15 of 41 threes, or 37 percent. San Antonio made 14 of 43, or 33 percent. The Spurs did not win because they bombarded Golden State from outside while the Warriors refused to shoot. Golden State made one more three and shot it better.

That comparison directs attention to the shots that did not come from beyond the arc. Golden State made 31 of 93 attempts overall, a 33 percent night, while San Antonio made 46 of 95 for 48 percent. The Spurs scored 56 points in the paint to the Warriors’ 28, won the rebounding battle 60-43 and produced 21 fast-break points against three.

A decent three-point showing could not rescue an offense that finished so far behind inside and in transition.

Cryer eventually supplied a stronger individual line: 20 points, six assists and six makes in 11 three-point attempts. He was one of only two Warriors to reach double figures. San Antonio’s lead nevertheless reached 43 in the third quarter, and its starters sat out the fourth. Cryer gave Golden State something beyond a list of misses without bringing the result back into serious doubt.

Bassey was another small bright spot, scoring 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting. Yet even Golden State’s most efficient scorer could not correct the larger imbalance. The Warriors needed more finishing from the players receiving the most attempts, more creation that moved beyond one player’s shot and more interior production to support the threes that were falling reasonably well.

Curry’s eventual return will change the available options, but Friday’s margin cannot be filed under absence alone. San Antonio built a 43-point lead without a superior three-point night. Golden State gave several players more room to shoot; the Spurs produced more ways to score. That is the part of the loss the Warriors cannot solve by simply redistributing Curry’s attempts.

Sources

ESPN — Warriors–Spurs box score and play-by-play

Associated Press — Warriors–Spurs report

NBA — Friday official availability report