This contest was surrounded by controversy as the Golden State Warriors traveled to face the Los Angeles Clippers.
Stephen Curry led all scorers with 27 points, but a cold night from beyond the arc, combined with questionable coaching decisions, meant the Warriors were constantly chasing the game. Pairing these issues with the inconsistent calls from referees created a perfect storm, and the Warriors narrowly lost by one point, 103-102.
Inconsistency from referees derailed the Warriors
While the referees’ mistakes fueled the controversy, they aren’t the sole reason for the outcome. The Warriors need to play better overall, but those missed or questionable calls ultimately cost them six points in a one-point defeat.
Curry had a made floater wiped off the board after a delayed whistle labeled it a common foul instead of a shooting foul, removing the points after the shot.
The most glaring error came midway through the fourth quarter when an obvious goaltending violation on a Gary Payton II layup went uncalled. Replays clearly showed the ball hit the backboard, yet the officials allowed play to continue.
This resulted in a double technical on Steve Kerr, leading to his ejection, and a missed opportunity for the Warriors—two points lost on the goal tend, which was a three-point swing that shifted the momentum in the Clippers’ favor.
The referees later admitted the mistake in a postgame report, but the damage was already done.
Golden State can’t seem to put it all together
Offensively, the Warriors seemed out of sync, shooting just 24.4% from three and 38% overall. Curry fouled out late, leaving Golden State to finish their final possessions without their top scorer on the floor.
Despite an inefficient shooting night, they committed only seven turnovers—their fewest this season in a single game—and also outperformed in offensive rebounds, steals, and points off turnovers.
This level of disciplined, high-level play on both ends is what the Warriors aim for consistently, but they just can’t seem to get on the same page night after night.
Warriors have a much needed eight game home stand
Rotation choices also raised eyebrows, as Quinten Post only logged 13 minutes. Given his ability to stretch the floor and contribute defensively, he could have helped stabilize the interior attack against the Clippers.
It seemed a puzzling use of minutes when spacing and consistency were needed most.
Ultimately, a combination of poor shotmaking, inconsistent lineups, and questionable officiating allowed the Clippers to escape with a one-point victory.
