In today’s Dub Hub:
- Steve Kerr questions late foul call that decided Warriors’ 99-98 loss to Suns
- ESPN’s Anthony Slater details Klay Thompson’s feelings about his departure from the Warriors.
- League announces the All-Tournament Team following the conclusion of the NBA Cup.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr didn’t hide his frustration after the team’s 99–98 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.
With the game hanging in the balance, the Warriors strung together
a strong defensive possession, forcing a desperation step-back attempt by Dillon Brooks that missed the rim entirely. However, a late foul was called on Moses Moody while battling for the rebound which sent Phoenix’s Jordan Goodwin to the free-throw line for the go-ahead point — a whistle that left Kerr in disbelief after the game.
In a game decided by one possession, the late call was significant, but it wasn’t the sole reason Golden State came up short. The Warriors committed 20 turnovers, which the Suns turned into 30 points, and limiting those mistakes would have likely prevented the game from coming down to a single whistle in the first place.
Still, after another brutal late-game loss, the frustration is understandable. For a Warriors team searching for momentum, it was another gut punch — one they’ll have to move past quickly with a rematch against the Suns coming Saturday night, this time back home at the Chase Center.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, December 19th:
Warriors News:
What we learned as Warriors waste Jimmy Butler’s 31 in last-second loss to Suns | NBC Sports Bay Area
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.
Draymond Green addresses his turnover problems
The regrets and reflections in Klay Thompson’s Warriors exit | ESPN
They flipped on the Mavericks game against the Utah Jazz. Curry roared after Thompson hit two of his four 3s — “Shoot it, Klay!” he yelled — early in the fourth quarter, sparking Canon’s curiosity.
“Klay’s playing?” Canon asked. “Why are you here?”
Curry reminded Canon that Thompson is in Dallas now. He left the Warriors.
“Those are the moments it hits,” Curry said. “Things have evolved in life. But there are reminders of how special of a thing it was and also a reminder of how unfortunate … the reality of what it is right now.”
NBA News:
Nuggets’ Jokic breaks Kareem’s record for career assists by center | ESPN
Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds to become the career assists leader among centers, and the streaking Denver Nuggets beat the Orlando Magic 126-115 on Thursday night.
Jokic, who has 13 triple-doubles this season, entered Thursday six assists behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had 5,660. Jokic passed him with 6:26 left in the first half when he fed Jalen Pickett for a 3-pointer.
NBA announces All-Tournament Team for the NBA Cup
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
As Warriors struggle, Rockets and Hawks should eye a blockbuster trade for Steph Curry
Barring a stroke of incompetence that would shock even Lacob’s biggest hater, there is no scenario where the Warriors move Curry without the superstar’s expressed desire for such a move. However, there are two teams that can clearly offer Curry a path to title contention and make a reasonable enough offer to the Warriors to get a deal done should he ask out: the Atlanta Hawks and, unfortunately for Dub Nation, the Houston Rockets.
Posts to end the week:
Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
