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Jaxson Hayes grabbed a rebound late in the second quarter and passed the ball to Luka Doncic, who promptly threw a bad pass for a turnover. A few seconds later, Doncic got a rebound and lost the ball for another turnover. Then he threw away another pass. A minute later, he did it again.

Over a roughly two-minute stretch in the second quarter, Doncic turned the ball over four times.

It was that kind of night for Doncic and the Lakers. Their inability to take care of the basketball doomed them in a 125-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers had 22 turnovers and Doncic had nine.

Read more:Lakers' seven-game winning streak shattered in blowout loss to Phoenix Suns

“Yeah, that was my fault. No way I can have nine turnovers in the game,” said Doncic, who also had 38 points and 11 rebounds. “So in that second quarter... they're giving the shots, (so) instead of shooting the ball, I feel like I was trying to get (everyone) involved. But there's no way I should have nine turnovers.”

Austin Reaves was nearly as bad, turning it over five times.

“I dribbled the ball literally out of bounds one time,” said Reaves, who had 16 points. “I've done it before. I did it tonight and at some point I'll probably do it again. ... I was bad in that aspect, so I gotta be better.”

LeBron James, who extended his double-figure scoring streak in the regular season to 1,297 games, had three turnovers as the Lakers' Big Three combined for 17.

Entering the game, the Suns averaged an NBA-high 10.6 steals per game, and the Lakers were aware of that.

“Turnovers, turnovers (and) transition points,” said James about what went wrong for the Lakers. “And obviously on our home floor and against a disruptive defense like that, you can’t turn the ball over that much. And they were pretty much all pick-sixes. They not only turned us over, they were able to convert.”

Lakers hit the road

Now the Lakers must take their show on the road, playing three games in four nights on the East Coast against opponents all above .500.

They start Thursday night against the 14-7 Toronto Raptors, then face the 11-9 Boston Celtics on Friday before finishing the trip Sunday against the 10-9 Philadelphia 76ers.

"Well, the road trip should always refocus you, no matter how you’re playing,” James said. “So, I don’t think it took for us to have this game tonight to refocus us.”

The Raptors have lost two straight, but they are 8-2 in their last 10 games.

"I don't watch too much NBA, sorry,” said Doncic when asked to share his thoughts on the Raptors. “I know they have a good record. I love the coach [Darko Rajakovic]. ... I know he has (them) playing physical, so we're gonna see."

Read more:Former Lakers star Anthony Davis makes long-awaited return to L.A. after trade

The Lakers will also see if James will play in back-to-back games.

He didn’t play against the Pelicans on Sunday night in the first game of a back-to-back.

Since the Lakers listed James out with left foot injury management, he was asked if that was something new for this season after he missed the first 14 games with sciatica.

“Yeah, it’s called old,” said James, who turns 41 this month.

Poor defense

The Lakers had a defensive plan in place, but it didn’t work.

They allowed the Suns to shoot 57% from the field and 44% from three-point range.

Collin Gillespie, a known three-point shooter, went eight for 14 from three-point range on his way to 28 points. Royce O’Neale made two three-pointers.

“I don't remember ever talking about going under (screens) versus lasers (three-point shooters), and Gillespie's making threes and Royce O'Neale was making threes, going under,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I don't know, I don't know. It's a weird sort of thing.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

How De'Anthony Melton believes he can help Warriors amid ‘roller-coaster' start originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

De’Anthony Melton is approaching a return to the court at a much-needed time for the Warriors.  

After more than a year of rehabbing a torn ACL, Melton is confident his abilities will provide a boost to the 11-10 Warriors.

“I’m trying to provide everything – if it’s from shooting, to playmaking, to defense, to IQ – I think I bring all that stuff to the table,” Melton said to reporters Monday after team practice at Chase Center. “And also, just to have a secondary ball handler out there just to help break guys down and kick out at the same time…” 

“… And my ability to shoot and defend is definitely something I think any team can use. So, just bringing all that stuff to the table and just being a smart basketball player too.” 

Melton is correct; any team could use a player who brings all those qualities to the table. 

Particularly for the Warriors, the team needs more ball handlers. Aside from Steph Curry and Draymond Green in the starting lineup, Brandin Podziemski and Pat Spencer are the only players off the bench who serve as facilitators.

Melton’s return, along with the signing of free agent guard Seth Curry, could help ease offensive flow for the second unit. Golden State currently averages 16.2 turnovers per game, tied for fifth-most in the NBA. 

Defense on the perimeter, an issue that became glaring after allowing 31 points to Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, could see a boost from the shifty Melton. 

“I think it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster; I think anyone can attest to that,” Melton said of the Warriors’ 11-10 start to the 2025-26 NBA season. 

Melton and the Warriors hope to have the guard make his season debut at some point during the team’s next road trip. 

His return could mark an opportune time for the Warriors to create distance from the .500-win percentage they have been hovering around since early November. 

“I think Steve [Kerr] has already said it, we’ve been in similar spots around this point last year, and they still went to the second round with a potential chance to [reach] the Western Conference Finals,” Melton noted. “So, I mean, it’s early in the season still. First 21 games, a lot can happen from here on out, and we just got to turn the corner when it’s time.” 

Melton played in just six games for the Warriors in the 2024-25 NBA season before sustaining a season-ending ACL injury. Golden State traded him to the Brooklyn Nets as a part of a deal to land guard Dennis Schröder. 

Before his injury last season, Melton averaged 10.3 points in just 20.2 minutes per game. The Warriors were the second-best scoring team in the league with Melton, averaging 121.2 points per game in that time frame.

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More than a feel-good story: How Seth Curry can help Warriors right away originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There isn’t a cure for the Warriors playing without Steph Curry. His brother, Seth, still can be a remedy to some of their biggest offensive issues six weeks into the 2025-26 NBA season. 

The Warriors on Monday officially signed the younger Curry brother to a one-year contract for the rest of the season. Seth, 35, joined the Warriors in training camp but was waived before the season for financial reasons. As a team hard-capped at the second apron, the Warriors could only have 14 players on their roster to begin the season.

Curry signed as the 15th man on the Warriors’ roster. Each day they waited to sign him gave the Warriors more financial flexibility down the road, which could be beneficial at the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Now that he’s back with the Warriors, he knows exactly what he brings to them. 

Everybody does. 

“I think everyone around the league knows what I bring to the table as far as my game,” Curry told reporters Monday at Chase Center after Warriors practice. “Just being able to spread the floor, make shots – just create offense. I feel like I can with my movement. I feel like I’m a little underrated on the ball, as far as playing ball screens, dribble-handoffs and just creating that attention from the defense. 

“They know what I bring and I think the whole league knows what I bring. Just trying to provide that as soon as possible.” 

Warriors coach Steve Kerr confirmed that Curry will be active for his season debut Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. A need for shooting against the Thunder without Steph is obvious. That was evident last game Saturday night in an eight-point win against the three-win New Orleans Pelicans when the Warriors shot 40.9 percent from the field (38 of 93) and 25.5 percent from 3-point range (12 of 47). 

Shooting was such a struggle that the Warriors missed 20 of their first 21 3-point attempts, making their third and then going 16 straight misses until a Moses Moody three snapped the streak halfway through the second quarter. Quinten Post made one three in the first quarter, and Moody made one in the second. Those two were 2 of 7 at halftime. 

The rest of the Warriors were 0 of 15. 

Even though the Warriors lead the NBA in 3-pointers made per game (15.9), they’re an average shooting team in terms of accuracy. The Warriors rank 14th in 3-point percentage (35.9 percent). In terms of effective field goal percentage (54.2 percent, 19th) and true shooting percentage (58.5 percent, 16th), the Warriors are a below-average shooting team. 

The most traditional of stats, field goal percentage, has the Warriors as a bad shooting team (45.1 percent, 24th). 

Which is where Curry first can make his mark. Curry is coming off a season where he played 68 games and led the NBA in 3-point percentage at 45.6 percent. He also had a 59.9 effective field goal percentage and a 61.6 true shooting percentage. Of the nine seasons he has played at least 44 games, Curry has finished with a 3-point percentage of 40 percent or better in eight. 

Steph has a 42.3 3-point percentage for his career. Seth’s career 3-point percentage is 43.3.

But back to why Seth’s shooting prowess matters for the Warriors. 

Steph has missed five games already and still leads the Warriors in 3-point attempts by 67, and makes by 26. Buddy Hield is searching while shooting a career-worst 30.8 percent from three. Post is shooting 31.6 percent from three after having a 40.8 3-point percentage as a rookie, Draymond Green’s 3-point percentage is down to 32.9, Al Horford has only made 32 percent of his threes in the 12 games he has played and Jonathan Kuminga (33.3 percent) still isn’t a threat from downtown. 

The Warriors’ newest Curry is. This also isn’t the first time he has mentioned he believes he’s underrated on the ball. Pat Spencer might be Kerr’s most trusted ball-handler in the second unit right now to keep the offense flowing, but he isn’t close to worrying teams shooting the ball. 

“It’s great having Seth officially,” Kerr said. “He gives us another great shooter, a guy who’s really solid with the ball. Total pro. Ready on a moment’s notice. It’s exciting. Obviously, we’ve been anticipating this and he’s been staying as ready as possible.” 

Curry’s main focus as he waited to finally sign with the Warriors was making sure he kept his body right and wouldn’t have any health concerns upon his return. He was on the Warriors’ recent six-game road trip, went home on some of the shorter trips to work with a personal trainer and has been around Chase Center plenty of times. 

Seth was even in attendance at Chase Center, sitting with the Curry family a week before his signing during the Warriors’ win against the Utah Jazz. Between watching games and picking Steph’s mind, Seth is well-versed on the insides of how the Warriors’ season has gone. And he has kept his pulse on the rest of the NBA. 

“I got a handle on the league and how the league’s been playing over the past month or whatever,” Curry said. “I feel like my mental is right. It’s just obviously me trying to keep my game sharp and stay in the best shape as possible.” 

Adding Curry only makes the Warriors’ rotation of guards that much fuller. De’Anthony Melton’s season debut is on the horizon, too. Whether Curry’s first official game in a Warriors jersey comes against the defending champions or not, and who knows how big his role will be, Seth has stayed ready.

“I’m trying to do whatever I can to help the team right away if possible. Whatever,” he said. “If they throw me out there tomorrow, fine. If not, it is what it is. I’m trying to obviously get back in the flow of an NBA season. 

“I’m just here to do what I do. I feel pretty good. Whatever they need from me, I’m gonna try to just provide what I bring.”

He’s more than the name on the back of a Warriors jersey that he shares with his superstar older brother turned teammate. What Seth does and brings to any given game also should only add to the lore of the greatest shooting family in the history of basketball.

The Warriors could not wait any longer.

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How Warriors' Steph Curry navigates highs and lows of his Draymond Green bond originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There have been a few times since 2012 when Draymond Green’s occasionally rambunctious conduct tested the limits of everyone within the Warriors’ orbit, including the team’s prince of patience and prudence, Stephen Curry.

Never for a moment, though, has Curry considered endorsing a Green-Warriors divorce.

“I don’t ever get into that narrative because he’s had some situations where people want to criticize and jump in,” said Curry, appearing on NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dubs Talk podcast, which debuted Monday. “And he’s obviously taken a lot of responsibility for things that have happened over the years.

“But when it comes to seeing somebody for who they truly are and what they bring to the table, there’s no better example of a friendship and a teammate relationship that can stand the test of time. Because there’s just trust at the end of the day. I know he’s going to show up with the right mentality and do it his way and over the course of a season. I can rely on that.”

Now in their 14th season as teammates – longest active duration in the NBA – Curry-Green is a ride-or-die relationship. It goes back to Green’s rookie season, when he proved capable of helping the Warriors in ways no one else could. They bonded off the court, too. When Curry, a devoted Carolina Panthers fan, mentioned in 2015 that he and his family were flying to Seattle to see them face the Seahawks, he was reminded of their notoriously boisterous fans.

Curry’s response: Draymond’s coming with me. And, naturally, when things got rowdy at the stadium, Green relished playing the role of bodyguard. That provided Curry with a glimpse of Green’s commitment to those closest to him. He understood it because he’s no different in that regard. They’re both born under the Pisces astrological sign and their loyalty is reciprocal.

At the heart of their relationship is the pursuit of victory. They’re outstanding individual players, with Curry as Golden State’s offensive engine and Green playing the same role for the defense. Their two-man activity on offense is sublime, as it should be after 771 games together. Each man’s game is enriched by the other.

“I’ve said it since his first game, pretty much in terms of him being a guy that could influence the game no matter what the stat sheet says,” Curry said. “And he’s lived up to that and beyond his entire career, and as a true winner.

“But there are times where I need him to lift me up emotionally, because you know I might not have it in the tank. And I need to kind of cool him off if he’s running too hot at times, and vice versa.”

It’s Draymond’s emotions that at times rub people the wrong way and also diminish the effectiveness of the Warriors. Between technical fouls and other small fines, he has turned over nearly $1 million to the NBA, according to Spotrac. He has been suspended six times over a seven-year (2016-2023) span, losing more than $3 million in salary.

The most sensational moment of Green’s unwelcome conduct came in October 2022 when he slugged then-teammate Jordan Poole in the face during a training-camp practice. Some within the organization pondered whether Draymond still was good for the franchise.

Curry was among the many who were disappointed with the needless violence, but he stood by his longtime teammate.

“His highs and his lows are a little bit (louder) than most,” Curry said. “When you’re teammates and friends and been together with somebody for that long . . . he’s seen my highs and my lows, too, and whether that’s in front of the camera on the court, or behind the scenes in the locker room, or whatever. We’ve both had those moments where we can kind of lift each other up.”

It is that rarely publicized side of Green that Curry appreciates most. The world knows of Draymond’s blowups, but Curry and others close to him know of the kind, giving individual who grew up in rugged Saginaw, Mich., and understands the value of being there for others, particularly those in need.

Which is an attribute shared by Green and Curry, who as the son of NBA star Dell Curry, grew up under very different circumstances.

“That’s the stuff that you learn over the course of getting to know somebody from Day 1,” Curry said. “Seeing him as a husband, as a father, as a friend, the idea of how he shows up for people. He’s taught me a lot as well just in the consideration of trying to meet people where they are. As wound up as he is, he has a very empathetic side to him that not many people get to see.

“He’s fiery, and he keeps you on edge all the time. And that’s kind of what you need. But the other side of him, Pisces gang. He’s a feeler too. Don’t let him get it twisted.”

Curry has seen dozens of teammates come and go since 2009, when he was drafted by the Warriors. Green came and has stayed. The result has been six trips to the NBA Finals, with four ending with a championship. These achievements don’t happen without Steph – or Draymond. “Oh, zero,” Curry said when asked how many titles the Warriors might have won without Green. “Zero. Zero. “And the idea is, hopefully, there’s one more in the tank.

“And he would say the same thing about me. He’d say the same thing about Klay (Thompson), or Andre (Iguodala) or (Kevin Durant). It goes back to the fact that when it’s all said and done, we’ll be able to go back to those specific moments.”

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With Steph Curry out and Jimmy Butler aching, here come Thunder to face Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – After sitting for about 20 minutes, Jimmy Butler III rises from his chair moving one limb at a time. His discomfort is evident. Asked how he’s feeling, he eschews athlete-speak and responds with typical candor.

“You see how I’m walking,” he said with a sigh, left hand resting on his left hip and as he shuffles carefully out of the room.

Three hours later, Butler’s name appeared on the Monday afternoon NBA injury report submitted by the Warriors in advance of their game Tuesday against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder at Chase Center.

Two days removed from landing hard on his backside late in the Warriors’ 104-96 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Butler was listed as “questionable” with a left gluteal contusion. In simpler terms, an aching ass.

Add this to the first unwelcome blow to the Warriors last week. Stephen Curry sustained a left quad contusion last Wednesday and is expected to miss at least two more games, the next being OKC on Tuesday.

And to think, the Warriors had hoped to use their five-game homestand to generate enough momentum to escape mediocrity. They split the first four games and now must take down the mighty Thunder (20-1 record) to achieve a winning homestand.

And now, Butler’s availability is in question. He is Golden State’s No. 2 scorer, behind Curry, averaging 20.2 points per game. His role in the offense expands when Curry is not available. He was superb Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans, producing a team-high 24 points, a game-high 10 assists, grabbing eight rebounds and finishing a game-best plus-22 over 37 minutes.

“He didn’t practice today,” coach Steve Kerr said of Butler. “He feels like he’ll be able to play [Tuesday], but he was pretty sore from that spill he took.”

The Warriors made it through the first month of the season without significant injuries to their four veterans – Curry’s three-game absence to due to an illness was the worst of it – only to come home 10 days ago have each of them afflicted. In addition to Curry and Butler, Draymond Green (listed as “probable”) is trying to play through a sprained right foot, and Al Horford (listed as “out”) is coping with sciatic nerve irritation.

As much as we might like to consider the game on Tuesday as some kind of in-season exam on the status of the Warriors, this now looks more like a test of will. OKC is missing three rotation players – Alex Caruso, Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein – but that’s been the case most of the season and it has not mattered.

When Curry took that knee to the quad against the Houston Rockets last week, he immediately knew he would miss some time. The proof was in the look on his face, one of deep disappointment and barely submerged fury. The Warriors had led most of the game but were clinging to an 89-88 lead inside the final five minutes. He knew what the moment meant, so he tried to limp his way to the finish line.

Curry didn’t quite make it, and the Warriors were outscored 16-11 over the final 4:19.

Like Curry, Butler knows what the moment means. The Warriors haven’t been more than three games over .500 all season, and this homestand was an opportunity. Instead, it’s been a loss, a win, a loss and another win. Which has their record at 11-10.

Reinforcements are coming. Seth Curry signed on Monday and will be active Tuesday night. De’Anthony Melton is expected to be available sometime on the road trip that begins Thursday in Philadelphia. They will help, eventually. Melton may find his way back into the starting lineup.

“We’ll see how much time it takes, but we’re excited to get him back,” Kerr said of Melton. “He’s a two-way player, he’s really good fundamentally in terms of taking care of the ball and decision-making. I say it all the time it’s a decision-making sport, and De’Anthony is a guy who makes really good decisions at both ends.”

But Golden State’s pursuit of a stretch of games when it flashes the top end of its potential continues to be elusive. And it’s impossible when Curry is in street clothes.

Knowing that, Butler’s thirst for victory may send him onto the floor against the Thunder. If he strolls out for the opening tip at 8 o’clock, he surely will be compromised.

I saw how he was walking.

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