Category: Basketball

Draymond Green, uncharacteristic as of late, needs to be better for Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

We’ve long witnessed marvelous things Draymond Green does for the Warriors, from wrecking opposing offensive sets to smothering those who challenge his individual defense, to freeing Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson for open shots even when defenses know it’s coming.

Winning Draymond. The man who rallies the troops and connects the game at both ends. 

That’s who the Warriors are going to need to climb out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves.

That’s not the Draymond Green we’ve seen lately.

He has been too careless with his passes, too inefficient with his shooting and too much like someone who doesn’t meet Draymond’s standard. It’s hurting the Warriors – and it’s spreading a coating of dust over the remarkable legacy he has built since 2014.

The Warriors on Thursday night donated a game to the Phoenix Suns. Gave it away with 20 turnovers that led to 30 points. Twenty turnovers in the second half were too much for the Warriors to overcome, and it ensured a 99-98 loss.

Draymond was responsible for five of the turnovers, with 10 of his teammates sprinkling the other 15. This comes four days after he committed eight of Golden State’s 18 turnovers and welcomed the blame in a 136-131 loss to the Trail Blazers in Portland.

“Just making bad reads, bad decisions,” Green told reporters Sunday in Portland. “(I’ve got to) be more decisive, take better care of it. I’m too f—–g old to be doing that.”

And yet, two practices later, there was another dud on Thursday.

“I’m just going to throw the pass when I know it’s there instead of second-guessing,” Green told reporters in Phoenix. “I’m a great f—–g passer. So, if I see the pass there, I’m not second-guessing. I’m just going to throw it. If I turn it over, I turn it over.

“But I’m a great passer, so I won’t second-guess my passing. I’m just going to throw it when I know it’s there.”

Those two statements provide a glimpse into what has made Draymond worthy of the Hall of Fame. He’s professional enough to acknowledge valid criticism and stubborn enough to keep believing in himself despite two forgettable performances. It’s a second-round pick mentality that has led to some of the highest honors the NBA has to offer.

With the Warriors dropping into ninth place with a 13-15 record, everyone on the roster is searching for answers. They lost a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and the game when Curry scored 48 points, 21 in the fourth quarter.  They lost a 14-point third-quarter lead and the game when Jimmy Butler III tallied 31 points.

Even with coach Steve Kerr in his 12th season of urging better ball security and his seventh season of pleading for it, one of his stars commits 13 turnovers over a two-game span at a time when the Warriors need a stretch of stellar play to at least look like a team capable of winning a playoff series.

“He’s trying too hard right now,” Kerr said of Green after the loss to the Suns. “He’s such a competitor, he’s trying too hard to make plays and just needs to slow down a little.”

Kerr has a point. Some of Draymond’s passes are forced, some are easily anticipated by opponents who spend a few minutes studying video of Golden State’s offense. It would not be difficult to produce a 10-minute video of Draymond not playing at the level that has made him and the franchise a winner. Champions.

There is no championship on the horizon for Golden State this season. Not even close. Not with this roster and not the way this team is playing.

“We’re not making winning plays,” Green said in Phoenix. “We’re not making winning plays.”

Winning plays are precisely what have made Green so valuable to the Warriors. They’d like to believe, at 36, he still can summon winning plays. He believes he can, and there have been flashes this season.

Draymond knows he needs to be better. He is being challenged to meet the standard he set for himself, and the Warriors are in deep trouble if he can’t at least come close.

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With the NBA Cup now in the rearview mirror, it's time to get back to a semi-regular schedule. Some rotational changes in the past week have provided a couple of players with an extended opportunity, while others have simply turned things around following a slow start to the season. As always, the waiver wire is the place to be, providing managers with bargain players who could be about to ascend in the fantasy basketball rankings. And remember, never assume a player is rostered. It always pays to double-check, just in case they have been overlooked.

Identifying players who are benefiting from expanded roles–whether it's an offensive threat delivering points and threes or a defensive-minded player boosting your blocks and steals–is vital as you navigate the season.

Let's dive into nine key NBA sleepers whose current stats suggest they are poised for significant value and are currently rostered in fewer than 40% of Yahoo leagues.

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Wendell Carter, Orlando Magic (33% rostered)

Carter continues to quietly go about his business, putting together arguably the best season of his career. Although his ceiling is somewhat limited, Carter has been able to add an element of consistency to his game, providing adequate production on both ends of the floor. This has translated into fantasy value, even in high-score leagues. He has scored at least 36 fantasy points in each of his last three games, averaging 38.7 points per game during that span. Although Orlando has an adequate backup in Goga Bitadze, it appears as though Carter has both hands on the starting job. If you are looking for a reliable plug-and-play option, look no further than Carter.

Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies (25% rostered)

After a slow start to the season, Wells has been able to turn things around over the past month, having scored at least 30 fantasy points in five of his 10 games during that time. In his past four games, Wells is averaging 32.3 fantasy points, a vast improvement on what he was putting up to begin the campaign. The Grizzlies continue to find ways to win and are now in the Play-In picture in the Western Conference. Although Wells' fantasy value is largely tied to points and threes, he has been getting busy on the defensive end, averaging 2.0 steals per game over the past four. Any peripheral production is a bonus, meaning now is the time to take a chance on Wells, at least until he cools off.

Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers (30% rostered)

Earlier in the week, it was announced that Tyson would be part of the starting lineup in Cleveland, at least for the foreseeable future. While this certainly makes sense from a reality standpoint, it also provides fantasy managers with a sense of assuredness moving forward. Tyson has been one of the more surprising names this season, providing relatively consistent production despite his role fluctuating. In seven games during the month, Tyson is averaging 33.7 fantasy points per game. On the whole, it's been a disappointing season for the Cavaliers, meaning Tyson should continue to play heavy minutes, looking to turn the season around for Cleveland.

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Jock Landale, Memphis Grizzlies (13% rostered)

Due to popular demand, Landale makes his second straight appearance on this list, as he continues to play some of the best basketball of his career. With Zach Edey slated to miss multiple weeks due to a foot injury, Landale has solidified himself as a key piece in the Grizzlies' rotation. Despite coming off the bench, his playing time has been more than adequate, logging 30, 28 and 27 minutes in each of the past three games. During that span, he has averaged 12.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 three-pointers and 2.0 combined steals and blocks, good enough for top 50 value in standard formats. There is almost certainly going to be some inconsistency moving forward, but on the whole, Landale is doing enough to be rostered in more than 13 percent of leagues.

Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards (15% rostered)

Carrington is another player who has quietly put together an impressive stretch, scoring double digits in four straight games. During that time, he has averaged 17.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.3 three-pointers in 37.0 minutes per game. Injuries to other players, most notably to Khris Middleton, have provided Carrington with a nice opportunity to convince the coaching staff that he should be heavily featured on a nightly basis. He had scored double digits only five times in his first 21 games prior to this run, highlighting just how poor he had been. With that said, Washington has nothing to lose, meaning Carrington's current role could last, at least until he cools off.

Dominick Barlow, Philadelphia 76ers (6% rostered)

Despite the fact that Philadelphia is beginning to get healthy players back on the floor, Barlow continues to play a significant role as a member of the starting lineup. He has started in nine straight games, scoring double digits in six of those. While his offensive output has been modest, to say the least, his ability to chip in across multiple categories has made him a top 90 player over the past week. In two games during that time, he has averaged 10.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 combined steals and blocks in 30.7 minutes per game. While he won't be a viable option for everyone, those looking for across-the-board upside could do worse than taking a flier on Barlow.

Standard Points Leagues

Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks (21% rostered)

Portis has been able to ramp up his production over the past two weeks, thanks in large part to the continued absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. In five games during that time, Portis has averaged 18.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals, good enough for 32.5 fantasy points per game. It should be noted that Kyle Kuzma missed the Bucks' most recent game due to illness, providing Portis with some additional playing time. However, he has been able to do just enough, even with Kuzma on the court, to be considered in standard points leagues. 

Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs (24% rostered)

Harper continues to impress, scoring a career-high 24 points in Thursday's win over the Wizards. While the production has been intriguing, the playing time continues to be a concern, given the guard depth in San Antonio. He is basically competing for minutes with De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson. This situation is not built for fantasy, making Harper a somewhat risky addition. However, the talent is obvious, and he has played at least 22 minutes in five of the past six games. He has scored at least 30 fantasy points in three of those, providing us with a glimpse of what could be possible. Despite the risk, he is worth a look, at least as a short-term addition.

Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans (32% rostered)

Despite the return of Jordan Poole and Zion Williamson, Bey has remained in the starting lineup, logging at least 33 minutes in three of the past five games. During that time, he has averaged 17.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists, good enough for 31.3 fantasy points per game. His long-term role remains somewhat clouded, especially once Williamson ramps up his playing time. Bey could eventually move back to the bench, but for now, it appears as though he has earned the trust of the coaching staff. 

When Brice Sensabaugh drilled a wide-open three pointer in the third quarter, Lakers coach JJ Redick quickly called a timeout and began to gesture with both hands toward his players, clearly showing his displeasure with their defense.

The Lakers responded.

They especially picked up their defensive intensity for an important spurt in the fourth quarter, slowing down the Utah Jazz and in the process the Lakers’ offense took off, the two converging at the right time to push them to a 143-135 win Thursday night at the Delta Center.

The Lakers gave up 41 points in the first quarter and a season-high 78 at the half. They allowed 57 points in the second half and put the Jazz away by scoring 41 points in the fourth quarter.

“Obviously we know this Utah team can score points at a very high rate, but it was very imperative that we got stops,” said LeBron James, who had another productive night with 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. “We had to get stops to start that fourth and then it allowed our offense to click.”

But even with the Lakers building a 12-point lead in the fourth, the Jazz continued to put stress on L.A.’s defense, getting within four points late in the game.

The Lakers had answers every time, keeping the game in their hands behind Luka Doncic’s triple-double — 45 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds.

His 45-point triple-double and five steals made Doncic just the second player in NBA history to accomplish that feat since steals became official in 1973-74. Detroit Cade Cunningham (46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals) is the other player to do so, producing that against the Wizards on Nov. 2025 in overtime.

Doncic was 14-for-28 from the field, four-for-12 from three-point range and had just one turnover in 39 minutes and 33 seconds of play.

Doncic also was the first Laker to have a 40-point triple-double since Magic Johnson in 1981.

“I think, honestly, I could do so much more,” Doncic said. “But I think that one turnover is the best stat-wise on this stat sheet. So, we had seven turnovers, which is impressive for us and we won the game. And again, that's what matters. But I think we locked in a lot in the second half. We did a great job.”

The Lakers got a scare when James went down holding his left knee after a collision with Utah’s Walter Clayton Jr.

James was dribbling the basketball near the three-point arc when Clayton went for a steal, but instead his knee hit the inside of James’ knee, knocking the Laker to the floor with 7:52 left in the second quarter.

James eventually got up and continued to play, taking a rest with 4:53 left in the half.

James described what happened on the play.

“Just a little bolt to the knee, like a sharp pain to the knee,” James said. “Got kneed on the the inside, like the medial side of the knee. And just kind of wanted to take my time a little bit as it calmed down or whatever the case may be. Or hoping it calmed down. Told Mike (Mancias) my trainer, I said, 'We dodged a bullet there.' ”

The Lakers were already without starters Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness), but then they added key role player Gabe Vincent (lower back tightness) to the injury list, leaving them without three main players entering the game at Utah. Vincent will be reevaluated in a week.

Jaxson Hayes started at center in place of Ayton and Smart started at guard for Reaves.

Injuries also hit the Jazz, as star forward Lauri Markkanen, the ninth-highest scorer (27.8) in the NBA this season, was out because of a right groin injury.

Smart had 17 points, which included him going three-for-four from three-point range in the fourth quarter.

Hayes had 16 points, making all seven of his field goals.

Redick talked to his team at halftime about their poor defensive effort and he did again in the third quarter during that timeout.

His message was simple.

"The players gotta go out and do it,”: Redick said. “So it's not, I don't know if it sparked 'em or not, and I just know that after that they were better."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Knicks returned to regular season action after winning the NBA Cup when they traveled to Indiana to take on the rival Pacers on Thursday night.

Despite the Pacers' tough start to the season thanks to injuries to key players, it was not a cakewalk for New York, which was missing five rotation pieces, including two starters. The Knicks' bench needed to step up, and it did. Although Jalen Brunson's heroics are the headline for the team's 114-113 win, it was the play of young Tyler Kolek that the Knicks captain had to focus on.

"I was garbage," Brunson told the MSG broadcast on the court after the win. "To start the game, and then in the second half was garbage as well. I want to thank the lord for Tyler Kolek, for playing the way he's playing... and saving me. We found a way to win this one."

Brunson still scored 25 points -- on an inefficient 10 of 23 shooting -- and came up clutch when it mattered for his team. Kolek, however, was the lynchpin for the Knicks when they were down double-digits in the third quarter. In just three minutes, Kolek scored three points but dished four assists, for a team-high plus-eight on the court. That play carried over into the fourth quarter, where he scored four points and posted three rebounds and three assists.

In total, Kolek scored a career-high 16 points and had a career-high 11 assists for the first double-double of his NBA career.

"Our guys had plenty of opportunities to say, ‘Hey, we gave the good old College try, and we'll wrap it up...figure it out tomorrow, especially being in Vegas," head coach Mike Brown said of his team's resilience. "As long as we were and going through what we went through out there and then, having so many guys out…nobody would have been mad at them. On a couple of different occasions. If they just threw the towel in. It's not our group.

"We have a standard, and no matter who's on the floor, we expect everybody to hold each other accountable to what our standard is."

"They’re willing to give me the ball and I want to give them the ball, too," Kolek said of his play after the win. "Just having the trust of my guys and with my coaches."

"Tyler was fabulous," Brown said of Kolek. "He was fabulous on both ends of the floor, but you're talking about a guy that played 26 minutes and had 11 assists, so he impacted the game on both ends of the floor."

It's been a coming-out party for Kolek of late. The Marquette product gave the Knicks solid minutes in their semifinal game against the Magic, being a plus-18 in 16 minutes on the court. He then scored 14 points in 20 minutes in the NBA Cup Finals against the Spurs on Tuesday, closing out the game alongside Brunson. (Though that game technically doesn't count toward the team's record or the player's individual stats)

With Miles McBride and Landry Shamet still hurt, Brown will lean on Kolek more down this stretch of games. And if the guard continues to perform, he'll continue to see important minutes.

"He works as hard as anyone. This dude’s always in the gym…He works so hard," Brunson said of Kolek. "He has that ability to stay ready because of his work ethic. The world may be surprised to it, but we knew this was what he was capable of."

"Work always pays off," Kolek says of his preparation. "It's undefeated. What you put in, you're gonna get out. I firmly believe in that, and I put in a lot of time."

Kolek and the Knicks will now head home to host the 76ers on Friday night.

NEW YORK (AP) — Norman Powell scored 24 points, Kel’el Ware had 22 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, and the Miami Heat snapped a five-game losing streak with a 106-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 19 points and Bam Adebayo had 17 rebounds despite battling foul trouble as the Heat won for just the second time in December. They came into the month with 13 wins, tied for their most ever before December, but had gone 1-5 since.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 points for the Nets, who went cold after equaling the most lopsided victory in franchise history in their last game. Nic Claxton added 16 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

Brooklyn beat Milwaukee 127-82 on Sunday but shot under 39 percent from the field in this one and was just 11 for 49 (22 percent) from three-point range.

Still, Miami's lead was just 86-82 with under five minutes remaining. Ware made a three-pointer and Jaquez followed with consecutive baskets to extend the Heat lead to 93-82 with 4:01 left.

The Nets missed 10 of their 13 three-point attempts in the fourth quarter.

Up next

Heat: Visit Boston on Friday.

Nets: Host Toronto on Sunday.

The Knicks overcame a pair of 16-point deficits before Jalen Brunson's three-pointer with 4.4 seconds remaining stole a 114-113 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.

Brunson, who was 2-for-8 from the floor in the second half, including missing two attempts with the score tied and under two minutes to play, hit the bucket when it counted. He finished with 25 points on 10-for-23 shooting (3-for-8 from deep) with seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals, but with three turnovers and was a minus-16 in 34 minutes.

Tyler Kolek, who has been seeing his workload and production increase of late, kept the Knicks in the game with 18 points off the bench and several crucial stretches of solid play deputizing Brunson.

"I was garbage to start the game. And then my stint in the second half was garbage, as well," Brunson said in a postgame interview. "I want to thank the lord for Tyler Kolek, for playing the way he's playing  and saving me."

With Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson (joining Landry Shamet and Miles McBride) out with injury, the Knicks were short-handed and had Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti in the starting lineup. And the mishmash lineups did not gel for much of the game. Fortunately, Indiana is equally banged up, missing several key contributors, and suffered through stretches of horrible shooting, including going 8-for-26 from the floor in the second quarter and 8-for-24 from the fourth.

Here are the takeaways...

- The first quarter was anything but well-executed basketball for the Knicks, and that set the tone for what would be a sloppy game at times by both sides. Through the game's first six and a half minutes, New York had committed more turnovers (five) than made field goals (three on 13 attempts) and trailed by 15. Mike Brown called a timeout with his team down 28-12 and Indiana shooting 71.4 percent (10-for-14 from the floor). And, somehow, those numbers beguile what was a dreadful watch as the Knicks trailed by 11 after one.

Naturally, the Pacers started the second as poorly (3-for-13 from the floor) as the Knicks did the first, and New York (6-for-12 from the floor with several second-chance opportunities) trimmed the lead to three midway through the period. The Knicks got as close as one, but entered the half down 62-59.

The Knicks opened the third 3-for-10 from the floor with four turnovers and allowed Indiana to make it a 13-point lead after six minutes of play. After falling behind by 16, matching the largest deficit to that point, the Knicks cut it to 10, forcing a Rick Carlisle timeout with two to play in the quarter as the Pacers’ bench unit struggled whenever called upon, and the Knicks made it just a six-point game entering the fourth.

Under four minutes into the fourth, the Knicks had their first lead since the game’s opening 100 seconds, with a 10-2 run, and Indiana called for time with New York up 97-94. 

But Pascal Siakam, who started poorly, scored seven straight to put the Pacers back up two and give him 22 for the game, forcing a Brown timeout with seven to play. All together, the Pacers used a 15-5 spurt, including Aaron Nembhard connecting on a three to give him 29, to make it a seven-point deficit. After levelling the score with under two to play (thanks to some more poor Indiana shooting), Siakam knocked down from the line with 16.9 to play. Brunson’s bucket sealed it as Siakam fell over on the final inbound play, meaning the Pacers never got a shot at the win.

- Brunson, who played 12 minutes of the first quarter, had 10 points on 4-for-9 shooting (1-for-4 from deep) with three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and yet was a minus-11. The lone superstar in the game added eight points in the second, and the diminutive guard looked to be head and shoulders better than any other player on the floor. He proved that when it mattered most, despite not having his best night

- Kolek knocked down his first three of the night to start the second and put together several nice passages of play to finish with nine points (4-for-6 shooting) with four assists, two rebounds in the first half, and was a plus-4 in 13 minutes. Kolek was at the heart of all the action to start the fourth four points, an assist, a block, and a charge drawn, giving him 16 for the game and nine assists.

- Mikal Bridges had a quiet start, but started getting more aggressive in the third, hitting three from behind the arc in the third to give him 18 to that point on 7-for-16 shooting. He finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and was a plus-9 in 37 minutes.

- OG Anunoby picked up two quick fouls and hit the bench under three minutes into the game. He struggled from the floor (1-for-5, 0-for-2 from deep) in the first half, with four points and three rebounds, but was a plus-6 in 14 minutes. Anunoby, who had a dreadful shooting night through three quarters, connected on a pair of threes when the Knicks needed it to tie the game with 1:51 to play. He finished with 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting with six rebounds, two steals, an assist, and was a plus-11 in 34 minutes.

- Jordan Clarkson picked up where he left off, knocking down his first three attempts to give him nine first-quarter points, with two threes. He poured in 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting (5-for-9 from deep) with three rebounds and was a plus-7 in 29 minutes.

- Diawara made a hustle play to open the scoring, corralling a steal and driving to the basket for a lay-up. But he looked less than convincing with the ball in his hands, committing two turnovers in the first. He finished with five points (2-for-5) with three rebounds and was a minus-6 in 19 minutes.

- Hukporti finished with four points (1-for-3) with five rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal in 27 minutes.

- Guerschon Yabusele and Trey Jemison were the first two off the bench for Brown in the first quarter’s early minutes. Both had two turnovers and just three points (from Yabusele) in the quarter.

Yabusele’s struggles continued as he went 1-for-5 from the floor (1-for-4 from deep) for three points, with three rebounds and was a minus-17 in 11 minutes. Jemison finished with five points and five rebounds in 18 minutes.

- As a team, the Knicks shot 46.7 percent (43-for-92) from the floor and 39.5 percent (17-for-43) from deep, and held the Pacers to 46.2 percent overall and a poor 32.4 percent (11-for-34) from deep.

Game MVP: Tyler Kolek

Yes, Brunson made the big shot, but the guard off the bench is the reason this game stayed within reach. He finished with 16 points and was a plus-13 in his 26 minutes.

Highlights

Jordan Clarkson has 9 points off the bench so far ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/3PliH7WKTK

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 19, 2025

Tyler Kolek ➡️ Ariel Hukporti 💥 pic.twitter.com/3ZH0GN7hQn

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 19, 2025

OG slam! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vk43OgKyP1

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 19, 2025

Mikal with the bucket and the foul ✨pic.twitter.com/SarVXA6d2p

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 19, 2025

JALEN KNOCKS IT DOWN FOR THE LATE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/hhsGACOA3z

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 19, 2025

What's next

The Knicks are back in action Friday night, hosting the Philadelphia 76ers for a 7 p.m. tip at Madison Square Garden.

Steve Kerr in disbelief over refs' ‘disappointing' call to end Warriors game  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When Dillon Brooks’ shot bounced off the backboard with the clock winding down at Mortgage Matchup Center on Thursday night, it looked like the Warriors and Phoenix Suns were heading to overtime tied 98-98.

But then Moses Moody was whistled for a foul as he went to grab the rebound, and Suns guard Jordan Goodwin sank a free throw with 0.4 seconds left to give Phoenix the 99-98 win. Warriors coach Steve Kerr couldn’t believe that’s what it came down to for a Golden State team that has struggled to close out games as of late.

“Tonight we executed really well,” Kerr told reporters after the game. “It’s hard to believe that the game was decided on that call, you know, on an air ball that hits the side of the backboard, and guys behind the bench told me that Moses got all ball. Everybody’s tangled up … That, to me, it better be a foul to decide the game on a play like that.

“So, disappointing that we didn’t get to go to overtime because I thought our guys executed and did a great job in the last few minutes of giving ourselves a chance.”

The Warriors dropped to 5-10 in clutch games during the 2025-26 NBA season with the loss, and ranked 24th in the league in that category entering Thursday’s game. After the Warriors blew a 14-point lead against the Suns, star guard Steph Curry pointed to other issues other than the final call of the game — concerns that have plagued Golden State all the way to its current 13-15 record.

“Same story. Turnovers. Offensive rebounds,” Curry told reporters after the game. “And especially on the road, it’s hard to give teams momentum. You give them belief, they start hitting shots.”

The Warriors certainly could use some belief of their own right now. And while Kerr and Co. might have had some down the stretch on Thursday, a questionable call left the coach scratching his head.

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What we learned as Warriors waste Jimmy Butler's 31 in last-second loss to Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

Another clutch game for the Warriors, their eighth in the last nine and 15th this season, and another disappointing finish.

With their offense going kaput in the second half and the turnover bug resurfacing, the Warriors walked out of Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix with a 99-98 loss – their third in a row.

With the Suns committed to keeping Stephen Curry from his cape, Jimmy Butler III and Brandin Podziemski tried to come to the rescue Thursday night and failed in their quest.

This was a very loud record scratch during the Warriors’ extended dance with mediocrity, with their record dropping to 13-15, the first time this season the Warriors have fallen two games below .500.

Butler scored a team-high 31 points, with Podziemski adding 18. Curry managed 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting from the field, including 2-of-9 from distance.

Jonathan Kuminga made his first appearance since Dec. 6, playing 10 minutes off the bench and finishing with two points and four rebounds.

Here are three observations from the first of a home-and-home set between the Warriors and the Suns:

Christmas in Phoenix

The Warriors arrived in Phoenix on Wednesday afternoon and seem to have been fitted for Santa Claus suits shortly thereafter.

Without a sleigh, they walked into the downtown Phoenix arena on Thursday and immediately started handing out wonderful gifts to the Suns.

Five turnovers, for six Phoenix points in the first quarter. Four turnovers for four Phoenix points in the second quarter. Seven giveaways for 10 Phoenix points in the third quarter, during which the Suns sliced a seven-point deficit to one.

Golden State’s 20 turnovers accounted for 30 of Phoenix’s 99 points. Eleven giveaways in the second half gave the Suns 20 points and allowed them to spread good cheer in triumph.

Draymond Green, who committed a ghastly eight turnovers in Portland on Sunday, committed a team-high five against the Suns. Butler, Curry, Podziemski, Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton each committed two giveaways.

It’s a familiar song for the Warriors, and it’s no Christmas carol.

Jimmy goes “Himmy”

Much of the chatter around the Warriors in recent days has been about Butler. About his relatively minimal impact or not being utilized properly or his mounting frustration amid the team’s consistent mediocrity.

He responded by putting more emphasis on scoring and delivering the kind of assertive offensive performance that ably supports Curry and makes Golden State appreciably more difficult to defend. Butler seemed on a mission to challenge the Suns.

While Curry played 18 first-half minutes, scoring five points, Butler played 18 minutes and went into intermission with a team-high 16 points, 11 of which came in seven first-quarter minutes.

Butler’s 31 points came on 11-of-17 shooting from the field, including a clutch 3-ball with 35.5 seconds remaining, and 8-of-9 from the line.

This was an emphatic response to the pleas for more scoring from the 36-year-old veteran.

Kerr gets a little crazy

Coach Steve Kerr was emphatic this week, saying he has 14 or 15 players he’s comfortable sending onto the floor but ideally want a rotation of 10, maybe 11.

Twelve different Warriors played in the first half, everyone on the active roster except rookie Will Richard and Seth Curry, who is managing a left glute injury. Golden State went through 10 substitutions in the first quarter, 18 in the half.

Some of the substitutions were rapid fire, as if Kerr were auditioning candidates in an open-gym tryout. If he was keeping players fresh to fortify the team’s energy, the results were mixed.

Two reserves made token appearances, with Trayce Jackson-Davis logging seven minutes and Gary Payton II only three.

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Dillon Brooks hits Steph Curry in chest, earns Flagrant 1 foul vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Dillon Brooks is no stranger to taking shots at the Warriors no matter what team he’s on, and the Phoenix Suns forward added Golden State star Steph Curry to his list of victims on Thursday night at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Officials hit Brooks with a Flagrant 1 foul in the final minute of the Warriors’ 99-98 loss to the Suns, when he struck Curry in the midsection/chest area with 38 seconds left.

As a member of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022, Brooks famously “broke the code” against the Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals after knocking Gary Payton II to the floor under the rim and fracturing his elbow.

The 29-year-old has had plenty of run-ins with Golden State since then, most recently swiping at Curry’s injured thumb during the NBA playoffs last year with the Houston Rockets.

It’s always guaranteed to be a fiery matchup with Brooks on the floor against the Warriors, but he certainly took it too far Thursday as evidenced by the Flagrant call.

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When the Knicks hired Mike Brown as head coach this offseason, it was in part to address specific failings from previous seasons. Two in particular were the underutilization of the bench and the lack of experimentation during the regular season.

If you wanted to grade Brown on the job he’s doing, the only metric that will satisfy Knicks fans is whether he wins a championship or not. In the meantime, he’s managed to help secure the city an NBA Cup title, relying on the very things the Knicks had been ignoring before he took over. 

Taking on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs coming off a victory over the streaking Oklahoma City Thunder would be no easy task. The Knicks found themselves trailing for most of the first three quarters, until Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson turned things around.

The two bench guards closed the third quarter strong, and Brown rode them through the final period, even playing them alongside Jalen Brunson. New York would win the fourth quarter 35-19 to take home the Cup, as Clarkson finished with 15 points while Kolek chipped in 14 points, five rebounds and five assists. 

Brown made a clever in-game adjustment, but Tom Thibodeau had made many of those, so what’s the big deal? It’s that these looks weren’t thrown out there with no prior experience as a desperate last measure, rather they had a foundation of being tried and developed during the season.

Going to the three-guard lineup of Brunson-Kolek-Clarkson was something Brown could do after playing that group together in three games prior and seeing Miles McBride-Kolek-Clarkson over nearly 10 games. For comparison, Thibodeau made a similar adjustment in last year’s playoffs, with a McBride-Landry Shamet-Delon Wright bench unit winning key minutes in the Conference Finals, yet only appeared for 10 minutes in the regular season. 

This was just the primary example. Brown threw out multiple defensive schemes and lineup combinations to keep the Spurs on their toes, backed by trying them out in previous games.  

Not only did Brown have his team ready to play in unique circumstances, but he had end-of-bench players ready to go in the biggest game of their lives. Kolek spent most of his rookie season riding pine, save for the brief garbage time or Westchester appearance. 

This year, Kolek got a fair crack at the rotation to start the season, then another when Shamet went down due to injury. That trust didn’t immediately pay off, but it did in spades on Tuesday night. 

Brown has displayed a level of trust in his depth not seen in previous seasons, both leading up to and during the championship game. That he rode Kolek and Clarkson deep into the fourth quarter when other coaches would have returned their starters was another welcome sign. 

This philosophy won’t always look pretty. Fans were polishing their pitchforks when the team opened 2-3, seemed to be throwing things at the wall, and couldn’t get anything from their bench. 

Slowly Brown’s vision is coming to fruition, with other examples of smaller payoffs before the Cup. Shamet became a viable rotation piece and lit up the Heat to win a group play game, Kolek stepped up when he got hurt, and the offense is beginning to buzz behind some winning lineups. 

What will building off this foundation look like in April and May? It’s a tantalizing thought, with increased glimpses of Mohamed Diawara, Karl-Anthony Towns-Mitchell Robinson lineups, and OG Anunoby breakout scoring nights pointing toward what we might see going forward.

It may not be the title fans ultimately crave, but the Knicks accomplished something in Las Vegas and did it in large part thanks to the vision of the team Brown is trying to build. It’s not the end goal, but it’s a real sign of positive development in pursuit of an NBA championship.