The 6-foot-1 Francis, a junior NJIT transfer, has scored 100 in the past four games — all coming off the bench.
No. 10 Nebraska holds off Ohio State’s late rally to remain unbeaten with 72-69 win
Braden Frager scored 15 points off the bench and No. 10 Nebraska held off a late rally by Ohio State to win.
Easy money. Watch Kevin Durant knock down game-winning 3-pointer as Rockets beat Suns.
Sunday night, Devin Booker drained a game-winning 3-pointer with under a second left on the clock to upset the Thunder.
One night later, the tables were turned — Kevin Durant drained a game-winning 3-pointer to lift the Rockets past his former team, the Suns, 100-97.
KEVIN DURANT HITS THE CLUTCH 3 TO WIN IT FOR HOUSTON pic.twitter.com/1lC1qjT0Ok
— NBA (@NBA) January 6, 2026
Easy money.
The Suns were down seven with five minutes to go in the game, but went on a 10-0 run that gave them the lead with 2:12 left, and a chance. The game was tied, but Booker's shot with 5.1 on the clock missed, opening the door for Durant and the Rockets.
Booker had 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter.
Durant finished with 26 points, while Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. each scored 17. The Rockets have won 5-of-6.
It wasn't all good news for the Rockets, coach Ime Udoka said Alperen Sengun suffered a sprained right ankle and will be re-evaluated in 10-14 days.
No. 10 Nebraska holds off Ohio State’s late rally to remain unbeaten with 72-69 win
Braden Frager scored 15 points off the bench and No. Nebraska held off a late rally by Ohio State to win 72-69 on Monday night. Rienk Mast added 12 points while Jamarques Lawrence and Pryce Sandfort each had 11 as the Cornhuskers (15-0, 4-0 Big Ten) extended the best start in school history.
Carr and Kohler help No. 12 Michigan State rout USC, 80-51
Coen Carr scored 18 points and Jaxon Kohler added 16 on perfect shooting to lead No. 12 Michigan State to an 80-51 blowout against Southern California on Monday night. Jeremy Fears Jr. had 15 points and seven assists for the Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten), who took control with a 27-6 run early in the game and led by at least 20 for much of the second half. Kohler made all six of his field goal attempts, including a trio of 3-pointers, and sank his only free throw.
No horsing around for Michigan State basketball bigs in rout of USC
Michigan State basketball score: Coen Carr and Jaxon Kohler combined for 34 points in the Spartans' rout of USC at Breslin Center on Monday, Jan. 5.
Knicks flattened in 121-90 blowout loss to Pistons
The Knicks got their teeth kicked in throughout a 121-90 loss to the Detroit Pistons to extend their losing streak to four games.
Here are the takeaways...
-- New York's lack of defense as of late persisted out of the gate against the top seed in the East, who entered the contest averaging 118.8 points per game, 11th-best in the league. Sure, Cade Cunningham made some shots (14 points on 6-for-9 shooting in the first half), but it wasn't just Cunningham as the rest of the Pistons got involved early and often as well, shooting 63 percent from the field and 55 percent from deep as a team in the first 24 minutes.
-- Detroit's bench, led by players like Jaden Ivey and Daniss Jenkins, scored 22 points in the first half as they were helped out by Cunningham's excellent court vision and passing ability, which gave him seven assists at halftime. By contrast, the Knicks as a team had just nine assists at the break.
-- Regardless, New York shot the ball well in the first, going 54 percent from the field and 57 percent from downtown. A lot of that production came from Jalen Brunson, who had 17 points on 8-of-13 from the floor. The point guard actually scored eight of his team's first 11 points, though the Knicks were down for the majority of that run.
Still, possessing the ball so often led to three turnovers before the break by Brunson, and he was a minus-6 on the court entering the second half.
-- Like the Pistons, though, the Knicks got some key contributions off their bench, most notably from Miles McBride, who had eight points, two rebounds and two assists in the first half while going 2-for-2 from three. The sharpshooter made three more threes in the second half to go 5-for-6 and finished with 17 points. He's been on fire from beyond the arc lately, making 46 of his last 84 three-point attempts (55 percent).
-- Going up against the best shot-blocking team in the league (6.3 blocks per game entering play), New York was blocked six times in the first half and after keeping it close in the first quarter (down 30-29), the Knicks slipped further and further behind in the second quarter and entered halftime down 64-54.
-- New York's shooting plummeted out of the break, putting up just 15 points in the third quarter. Eight of those points came from Brunson, while the rest of the starters contributed next to nothing. Most disappointing was Karl-Anthony Towns, who needs to step up on both ends of the floor with Josh Hart still out with a sprained ankle.
Instead, KAT finished with six points, one rebound and six turnovers. He took four shots and just two from inside the arc despite being the tallest player on the court. In fact, Detroit completely overmatched the Knicks on the glass, outrebounding them 44 to 30, even though no Piston had more than nine. Only Mitchell Robinson finished with double-digit rebounds, securing 10 boards in 25 minutes.
-- After such a disheartening third quarter by New York and no change in the fourth, head coach Mike Brown had seen enough and waved the white flag by emptying his bench with half a quarter left to play.
-- The Knicks led only once in this game, the first lead of the night after OG Anunoby made one of two free throws to give them a 1-0 lead. 13 seconds later, Duncan Robinson hit a three (and the free throw after getting fouled) and Detroit was off and running.
-- The Pistons finished with 11 blocks and 12 steals, turning over New York 20 times.
Game MVP: Cade Cunningham
Cunningham was clearly the best player on the court and finished with a double-double (game-high 29 points, 13 assists).
Highlights
8 of the first 11 Knicks points from Jalen Brunson! pic.twitter.com/Z6PqUx2agc
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 6, 2026
What's next
The Knicks host the Los Angeles Clippers at MSG on Wednesday night with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Tariq Francis scores 30, Rutgers beats Oregon 88-85 in overtime
Tariq Francis made 10 of 16 from the field, hit 10 of 11 from the free-throw line, and scored 30 points to help Rutgers beat Oregon 88-85 in overtime on Monday night. Darren Buchanan Jr. hit a corner 3-pointer and threw down a two-hand dunk before Francis made a jumper that capped a 7-1 spurt and gave Rutgers (8-7, 1-3 Big Ten) an 87-82 lead with 1:09 to play. Buchanan, Jamichael Davis and Lino Mark each scored 13 points for the Scarlet Knights.
NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: Trae Young's agents working with Hawks to find trade for point guard
Here are some of the latest trade rumors from around the league, with most of the buzz being about an All-Star point guard in Atlanta.
Trae Young
The writing was on the wall when Atlanta didn't reach a contract extension with Trae Young last summer, but his exit from the ATL looks like it will come sooner rather than later.
Young's agents — Aaron Mintz, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown — are working with the Hawks to find a trade for the four-time All-Star before the Feb. 5 deadline, a deal that works for everyone, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Young has missed the last four games with a quad contusion and, while nothing is set in stone (it usually takes time to put a trade together), it is possible we have seen the last of Young in a Hawks uniform.
Atlanta started testing the trade waters last summer but ramped up efforts when Young was injured this season and the team went 13-9 without him. They then dropped the next four games when he returned (they are 2-8 in the games Young has played this season). The team's play while he was out showed a road map to the next evolution of this team, one without Young dominating the ball.
The challenge is that there is not much of a market for the 27-year-old former All-Star, league sources told NBC Sports. Ask yourself this: What serious playoff team would be better making a big trade for Young? Good luck finding one.
While Young an offense unto himself — a season ago, when largely healthy (he played in 76 games), he averaged 24.2 points and 11.6 assists a game — his lack of defense, size (listed as 6'2" but that feels generous), injury concerns, the fact he's not popular with other players in general, and that he has a $49 million player option for next season all combine to give teams pause. Fair or not, Young's reputation is that he's good, but not someone a franchise can build a contender around, which means teams don't want to pay him big dollars.
What team is interested?
Wizards eyeing Trae Young
The Washington Wizards might be his landing spot, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
The Wizards have emerged as a legitimate potential trade destination for Atlanta's Trae Young, @TheSteinLine has learned, in a deal construction centered around CJ McCollum's expiring contract.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 5, 2026
More to come here: https://t.co/i9CobUR55Tpic.twitter.com/k9xOa2DZas
Why would Washington do this? It's a short-term play for a franchise that is seeking some level of relevance (and, in CJ McCollum, they don't give up a player who is part of their future). Young paired with a young core of Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and whoever they draft in June is at least interesting, should have a lot of firepower, and would give fans in Washington an entertaining product to watch. That kind of "let's prioritize making the postseason soon" thinking has long been rumored to come from Washington's ownership.
This doesn't have to be a long-term play by the Wizards, although you can be sure Young's agents are looking to get him to a team willing extend and pay him big money. We'll see if that's Washington or somewhere else.
In other trade news...
Lakers looking for two-way wing
That the Lakers are trying to reshape their roster to better fit around Luka Doncic, and that they need 3&D wings to do that, are not exactly state secrets.
Which is why the Lakers have been linked to every wing available at the trade deadline. As Marc Stein put it at The Stein Line: "The Lakers continue to scour the trade market in hopes of acquiring a two-way wing with size."
The problem is that 29 other teams are looking for players like that as well, and the supply of those players is limited. Ideally, the Lakers would like to get Herb Jones out of New Orleans (reportedly not available), Andrew Wiggins out of Miami, or even Dillon Brooks out of Phoenix (no way that last one is happening, Suns owner Matt Ishbia already shot it down).
Don't bother calling… Suns aren't interested. Dillon's not going anywhere https://t.co/Jqg6Nxx1D3
— Mat Ishbia (@Mishbia15) January 5, 2026
Even if those players become available, the Lakers may not have enough to get a deal done. That means Los Angeles may end up trying to land Keon Ellis from Sacramento or Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago, good young players with potential to fill that role.
The Lakers know what they need to do, but actually doing it is not so easy.
Mavericks not liking return for Davis
If you've been a regular reader of our trade rumors updates, this is not news to you, but here is another source echoing the same idea:
The market for Anthony Davis is limited and teams are not willing to give up much — especially the picks and young players the Mavericks are seeking — in any trade. Here is what Mavericks writer Christian Clark wrote at The Athletic.
Dallas' predicament is that dealing Davis isn't likely to bring back a combination of expiring money, young talent and draft capital needed to reorient around No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. Davis' age (he turns 33 in March), injury history and desire for a lucrative contract extension this summer have teams wary about surrendering too much to get him, based on conversations The Athletic had with three different NBA executives.
Chatter about an Anthony Davis trade continues to focus on the Atlanta Hawks, which has the big salaries to match Davis' deal as well as picks that would entice the Mavs. However, if Atlanta is going to move on from Trae Young, is Davis a good fit (the Mavericks have made it clear they don't want Young)? Also, league sources told NBC Sports they doubted Atlanta would give up the kind of pick package that Dallas would seek.
For his part, Anthony Davis would like to remain in Dallas and sign an extension with the Mavericks, reports ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Of course, Davis would also have preferred to stay in Los Angeles playing next to LeBron James, but that's not the world we live in.
Don’t expect Adebayo trade
We live in a world where what was once thought impossible now happens with impunity. Combine that with the pressures of the NBA trade deadline and wild rumors start. In that vein…
No, the Miami Heat are not going to trade Bam Adebayo.
Don't even start, because Miami isn't. It would take something extraordinary for them to even consider it, and then they still likely would say no. Don't just take my word for it, here is what Zach Lowe of The Ringer said on his podcast.
"He is the standard-bearer, he is the culture-bearer. I don't think there's one part of them that wants to do it... Other teams I know have for sure asked about Bam and have been told 'Hell no' and the wild card you also have to consider as they sniff around at Giannis and other star players, all of those star players want to play with Bam."
Observations after Sixers fall back to earth with OT loss to Nuggets
Observations after Sixers fall back to earth with OT loss to Nuggets originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers fell back to earth Monday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
They had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 125-124 overtime loss to the Nuggets.
Joel Embiid goaltended a Bruce Brown layup with 5.3 seconds left in overtime. Tyrese Maxey missed a game-winning floater attempt just before the final buzzer.
Embiid had 32 points and 10 rebounds. Maxey posted 28 points‚ 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
The Nuggets were heavily shorthanded. Nikola Jokic‚ Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon were among the many players out for Denver.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said he expects Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left knee adductor strain) to be cleared to return “any day now.” The two did full-court 3-on-3 scrimmaging after the Sixers’ morning shootaround.
The 19-15 Sixers will host the Wizards on Wednesday. Here are observations on their loss to the Nuggets:
Slow start in return to Philly
The Sixers were not sharp out of the gates in their first game back home after a five-game road trip.
With three-pointers from Jalen Pickett and Spencer Jones‚ Denver went up 11-2. The Sixers’ offense was sloppy and the team missed its first six threes.
Embiid’s size was still a serious challenge for the Nuggets without their usual top centers. The Sixers had little trouble feeding him against Denver’s zone and he scored 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the first quarter.
A Maxey three late in the first gave the Sixers a 26-24 edge. The Maxey-Embiid pair had 19 of the Sixers’ 26 first-quarter points.
Edgecombe comes up empty in first half
Unlike Saturday in their win over the Knicks‚ the Sixers did not have a great start to the second quarter with Embiid and Maxey on the bench.
Much of that stemmed from a steep drop-off scoring-wise for VJ Edgecombe‚ who began 0 for 5 from the floor and was scoreless until he knocked down a jumper with 6:52 left in the third quarter. Edgecombe missed a couple of driving layups through contact and was off on open three-point tries.
On the other end‚ the Nuggets’ offense was three-point-centric. Pickett sunk four in the first half (7 in the game) on his way to a career-high 29 points. Denver continued to pose real problems for the Sixers despite its major manpower disadvantage. Quentin Grimes’ corner jumper with 0.9 seconds left in the second quarter tied the game at 58-all.
Talent not everything
Even with his scoreless first half‚ Edgecombe still contributed in a bunch of areas‚ as he typically does. The rookie ended up with 17 points‚ 9 assists and 8 rebounds.
He helped the Sixers take a lead as large as nine points late in the third quarter. Maxey also had his foot on the gas and the talent disparity between the teams grew clearer.
However‚ talent isn’t everything.
The Sixers had a poor start to the fourth quarter with Embiid out. Grimes fouled Hunter Tyson on a four-point play that put the Nuggets up 104-100.
The Sixers’ situation looked bleak when Adem Bona fouled Brown on a corner three attempt and Brown made it 120-115 at the foul line. They weren’t out of it yet‚ though. Edgecombe canned a clutch three and Maxey hit a game-tying layup.
OT was chaotic. Ultimately‚ the Sixers couldn’t execute quite well enough and paid for their rough start.
Warriors' biggest area of need is evident as ever after loss to Clippers
Warriors' biggest area of need is evident as ever after loss to Clippers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Losing by one point in a game where your coach was ejected after a blatant missed call that should have been two points for the Warriors off a goaltending call gives them every reason to be as incredulously irate as Steve Kerr was with the referees.
Emotions aside, a much larger problem couldn’t be more obvious after the Warriors’ 103-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night at Intuit Dome.
The Warriors finally flipped the script on their opponent and won the turnover battle seven to 20. They swiped a season-high 18 steals, which is their most in more than four years. They scored 27 points off turnovers while giving away just seven, and their seven turnovers also were a season best.
A loss still followed them back to the visitor’s locker room and onto their short flight back home. Why? Because the team with the greatest shooter of all time can’t shoot.
No team is going to win shooting 38 percent overall (35 of 92) with a 24.4 3-point percentage (10 of 41).
Steph Curry, to his standards, didn’t have the best shooting game. He went 9 of 23 from the field (39.1 percent) and 4 of 15 from 3-point range (26.7 percent), also making all five of his free throws. But his 27 points led all scorers from both teams, and the only reason the Warriors had a chance at the end was because of Curry’s back-to-back threes in the final minute and a half to bring them within one point before he fouled out at the 42.7-second mark for the first time since Dec. 17, 2021.
Even on an off night, Curry still was the only Warrior to make multiple threes. The Warriors lead the NBA in threes per game, but that’s because he’s responsible for 30 percent of them. Accuracy and shot making has been a serious problem for the Warriors this season and must be atop the priority list now that the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline is less than a month away.
“I thought we played well. We couldn’t hit shots,” Draymond Green told reporters in LA. “We missed a lot of shots. Lot of shots that we normally make, or can make, we missed. But we took care of the ball. We defended without fouling. I thought we did a lot of good things.
“We forced turnovers, we just didn’t capitalize enough. In a game where you force 20 turnovers and have seven turnovers, we should probably have 130, 140 [points]. It’s unfortunate.”
Green responded admirably one game after his latest ejection. As he put his body on the line and kept staying in the game, Green tied his season-high of 12 assists and did so with just one turnover, helping make him a game-high plus-15 in 32 minutes.
He also was one of many Warriors who couldn’t get the ball to go through the net. The Clippers were begging him to shoot, with the Warriors veteran accepting their invitations and leaving without any party favors. Green missed all six of his threes and converted two layups. That’s about how it went for any Warriors outside of Curry and Jimmy Butler.
Those two combined for 51 points, exactly half of the team’s total. The rest of the starting five – Green, Moses Moody and Quinten Post – totaled 15 points on 17.6-percent shooting (5 of 17) and went 1 of 11 beyond the arc. Gary Payton II was the lone Warrior outside of Curry and Butler to score in double figures, finishing with 14 points off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting, making three dunks, two layups and one floater.
Ironically, the hottest shooter of the night was a rookie on a two-way contract the Warriors could have snagged in the second round of last June’s draft. Kobe Sanders scored a career-high 20 points and was more dynamic than any of the Warriors’ young players still trying to prove themselves. The San Diego native made nine of his 16 shot attempts as he showcased the skill that got him drafted in the first place.
Sanders worked out for the Warriors at Chase Center prior to the draft and would have been available for them if they didn’t trade back from 41 to take Alex Toohey two picks after the Clippers added Sanders at No. 50 overall. Toohey didn’t play a single game for the Warriors, or their G League affiliate this season and was waived by Golden State on Dec. 8.
All five Clippers starters scored in double figures. The Warriors attempted 15 more shots than the Clippers but made two fewer than them, too. For more than eight minutes of a 13-point third quarter, the Warriors didn’t make a single shot.
They now rank 27th in field-goal percentage (45.2 percent), 15th in 3-point percentage (36 percent) and 20th in offensive rating (113.6). Starting Jan. 15, Jonathan Kuminga becomes trade eligible. The trade deadline is exactly three weeks later.
Several areas of need stick out. The Warriors still are too small, and an extra ball-handler wouldn’t hurt. Consistently and confidently knowing somebody else outside of Curry and Butler will put points on the scoreboard and be a threat from 3-point distance somehow remains the biggest problem at the start of 2026.
Referee admits incorrect goaltending call that led to fiery Steve Kerr ejection
Referee admits incorrect goaltending call that led to fiery Steve Kerr ejection originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors coach Steve Kerr unleashed on officials early in the fourth quarter of Golden State’s 103-102 loss to the Clippers on Monday at Intuit Dome, when the referees missed a goaltending call on Los Angeles.
Kerr received double technical fouls during the tirade and was ejected, but after the game, crew chief Brian Forte admitted referees did indeed miss the call in an interview with Pool Reporter Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.
Forte detailed what led to Kerr’s ejection and why the uncalled goaltending wasn’t reviewed by officials.
AZARLY: What did Steve Kerr say to warrant the first and then the second technical fouls that led to his ejection?
FORTE: For the first technical foul, Coach Kerr aggressively approached the official while shouting profanities. After the first technical was called, he continued shouting profanities while being held back by his assistant coach. And led to the second technical foul.
AZARLY: It appeared as though an uncalled goaltending is what led to Kerr’s frustrations. Was that correctly uncalled and could that play have been whistled in order to trigger a review?
FORTE: The shot by [Gary]Payton hit the backboard prior to being touched by Collins. It should have been ruled a goaltending violation. The only way it could have been reviewed was if it was called on the floor and the Clippers challenged the call, because it did not occur in the last two minutes of the game.
AZARLY: Only in the last two minutes is where you can trigger the automatic review?
FORTE: That is correct.
Forte also explained why Steph Curry not given continuation on his made floater a few plays before the goaltending in the fourth quarter.
“Curry was grabbed around the hip by [John] Collins prior to the gather,” Forte told Azarly. “And this was correctly ruled a non-shooting foul.”
The officiating proved consequential in a game that came down to the final seconds, with the Warriors losing by just one point.
Terry Stotts comically saves Warriors coach Steve Kerr from fine after ejection
Terry Stotts comically saves Warriors coach Steve Kerr from fine after ejection originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Marshawn Lynch used to show up for press conferences so he wouldn’t get fined, and Warriors assistant Terry Stotts handled Monday’s postgame media availability to save coach Steve Kerr from a potential fine.
Stotts took the podium after a livid Kerr was ejected in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 103-102 loss to the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome.
“I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money,” Stotts told reporters after the game. “So, that’s the only reason I’m here.”
Kerr was tossed from Monday’s game just over four minutes into the fourth quarter after arguing a missed goaltending call by the officiating crew.
Gary Payton II’s shot clearly hit the backboard before John Collins swatted it away, but the refs missed it, costing the Warriors two points, which proved to be pivotal in the outcome of the game.
But before the missed goaltending call, the Warriors were upset when a Steph Curry bucket was waved off because continuation wasn’t awarded following a Collins foul.
So, the blood was boiling for Kerr and the Warriors.
“What particularly?” Stotts said when asked what set Kerr off. “I think it’s that goaltending call that was missed. Well, there’s probably some other things, but that was the last straw, probably. I don’t want to speak for Steve.”
In real time, the Warriors were convinced the refs missed the call.
“I didn’t see a replay, but it sure seemed obvious at the time that it was a goaltend,” Stotts said.
Stotts said the Warriors didn’t receive an explanation from the officiating crew on what happened on the missed goaltending call.
But crew chief Brian Forte spoke to ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly for the Pool Report and explained why Kerr was ejected.
“For the first technical foul, Coach Kerr aggressively approached the official while shouting profanities,” Forte said. “After the first technical was called, he continued shouting profanities while being held back by his assistant coach. And led to the second technical foul.”
While teams usually have to wait until the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report is released the next day for the league to own up to missed calls, Forte admitted his crew got Monday’s call wrong.
“The shot by [Gary] Payton hit the backboard prior to being touched by Collins,” Forte said. “It should have been ruled a goaltending violation. The only way it could have been reviewed was if it was called on the floor and the Clippers challenged the call, because it did not occur in the last two minutes of the game.”
Despite the Warriors appearing to lose their cool in the fourth quarter, they made a late push and almost pulled out a remarkable win. Jimmy Butler’s fadeaway in the final seconds fell short, dropping Golden State to 19-18.
“There’s always going to be some frustration in a close game,” Stotts said. “The game, there’s going to be an ebb and flow of the game, but I thought for the most part, we kept our composure. You look at the stat sheet, we did a lot of good things. You look at how many turnovers we forced, we played our asses off. So I don’t know if frustration is the right word. When you’re not making some shots … I don’t think any frustration affected our game, let’s put it that way.”
Kerr, ejected for the first time this season, has earned four technical fouls in 37 games this year. It was the fifth disqualification of his coaching career.
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2026-01-06 16:32:24
What we learned as Warriors' late rally falls short in close loss to Clippers
What we learned as Warriors' late rally falls short in close loss to Clippers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors spent most of Monday evening chasing the Los Angeles Clippers up and down the Intuit Dome floor, almost catching up despite coach Steve Kerr being ejected, Stephen Curry fouling out and a missed call by the officiating crew.
Golden State’s 38-percent shooting from the field, including a season-low 24.4 percent from beyond the arc, was the primary factor in a 103-102 loss to a Clippers squad playing without star guard James Harden.
The Warriors had 15 more field-goal attempts than LA, but only three players scored in double figures, led by 27 points from Stephen Curry. Jimmy Butler III finished with 24 and Gary Payton II delivered 14 off the bench.
The Warriors trailed by as much as 14 before pulling within one with 32.6 seconds remaining. Butler’s fadeaway over Nic Batum missed everything and the buzzer sounded.
This was Golden State’s eighth consecutive loss to the Clippers in LA, dating back to Nov. 28, 2021, when the game was at Crypto.com Arena.
Here are three observations from Golden State’s last road game until Jan. 22 at Dallas:
Stingy rims in Inglewood
When the Warriors boarded their flight Sunday afternoon, they evidently packed so lightly that upon arrival their baggage was devoid of their shooting touch.
The Warriors in the first quarter shot 28 percent from the field, including 16.7 percent from distance. It didn’t get much better over the next 36 minutes.
The starting lineup was 20 of 54 from the field, including 6 of 30 from deep. Curry was 9 of 23 from the field, including 4 of 15 from deep, before fouling out with 42.7 seconds left. Draymond Green was 1 of 7, 0 of 6. Moses Moody was 1 of 5, 0 of 3. Al Horford was 1 of 8, 1 of 5.
Golden State’s errant shooting bottomed out in the third quarter, with 13 points on 3-of-24 shooting, including 0 of 9 beyond the arc.
A Butler layup pulled the Warriors within four with 8:05 remaining in the third, but they failed the get a field goal for the rest of the quarter. That allowed LA to take a 12-point lead (76-64) into the fourth quarter.
Kerr ejected over missed call
One game after Green lost his temper after a missed call and was ejected, Kerr followed the same script. The coach was tossed with 7:57 remaining in the fourth quarter after officials missed an obvious goaltending call that went against the Warriors.
Payton drove in for a layup that was blocked byClippers forward John Collins after it caromed off the backboard. Any shot that’s tampered with after hitting the backboard is automatic goaltending.
Not a whistle was blown, so Kerr blew his top. He bounced off the bench yelling and gesturing at officials and was assessed with one technical foul and then another by crew chief Brian Forte. There was barely enough time to blink between the two calls. As Collins made two free throws, Curry and Payton made a futile appeal to Forte.
Though the team’s response to Green’s ejection was to rally to victory, there was no such comeback on this occasion.
The Warriors could do no more than lament the two points lost on the missed call.
The rare joy of turnovers
In most of Golden State’s games this season, the word “turnovers” has been printed across the foreheads of the entire roster. Giveaways have cost the Warriors several games and have become the most consistent bane of their collective existence.
In the first half against LA, the Warriors wiped off the ink and rubbed it onto the faces of the Clippers.
Outshot by an appreciable margin and outrebounded by a substantial margin, the Warriors went into intermission trailing by only four (55-51) because of their ability to force turnovers and LA’s inability to take care of the basketball.
More than one-third of the 51 points Golden State scored in the first 24 minutes came off turnovers, as the Clippers donated 18 points off 12 turnovers.
The final tally was Golden State committing only seven turnovers and posting a seldom seen decisive advantage (27-7) in points off the giveaways.
It was enough to keep the Warriors in position to win a game they otherwise they might have been blown out.