The Golden State Warriors began Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers as the league’s worst free throw shooting team, and it eventually cost them in a tough struggle at the Intuit Dome.
The Warriors failed to reach triple figures for the first time this season thanks to poor free throw shooting and turnovers, culminating in their second loss against the Clippers and the end of their three-game winning run.
The Golden State Warriors hurt themselves in a 102-99 defeat at the hands of the Clippers
If there was ever a game that statistically came down to one area, it was this one. The Warriors had one more free throw attempt than the Clippers, yet somehow made seven less in a mystifying issue that continues to plague their season.
Golden State went a dismal 9-of-19 from the charity stripe, including 2-of-9 combined from Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis. L.A meanwhile went 16-of-18 from the line, proving the difference in the three-point result.
Even still the Warriors had their chance on the final possession. After scoring seven-straight points to cut the margin from 10 to three, Golden State had two looks from deep on a frantic final play.
Stephen Curry’s contested three initially went awry, but Gary Payton II had another far more open look just before the buzzer. Payton’s shot hit back iron though, and upon reflection he would have given up the look for Lindy Waters III who was also wide-open.
It was that type of game for the Warriors from the outset, having found themselves down by 11 after a rough first-half. The Clippers were held to 42.7% from the floor yet made 16 of their 34 (47.1%) 3-point attempts, including 5-of-6 from Norman Powell who had a team-high 23 points.
Curry led Golden State with 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists, having shot 10-of-21 from the floor and 6-of-15 from beyond the arc. Andrew Wiggins added 22 points on an efficient 7-of-12 shooting, but the Warriors failed to generate much offense elsewhere.
Golden State would also look back on a couple of poor possessions to close the second and third-quarter. Firstly Powell was allowed an open lane to the rim to beat the half-time buzzer, before Buddy Hield inexplicably fouled Amir Coffey on a 3-point attempt to close the third period.
The Warriors’ poor free throw shooting was always going to come back to bite them at some point, and its something they’ll undoubtedly be focusing on ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with the Atlanta Hawks back home at Chase Center.
