SAN FRANCISCO – The postseason doesn’t start until late April, but Monday’s game between the Warriors and Clippers at the Chase Center had postseason implications.
The Warriors entered the night as eighth and over 2.5 games over the Clippers, meaning that if the Play-In tournament began that night, the Warriors would be guaranteed a trip to the postseason with just a win over the 7th seed.
So when the Clippers got up and beat the Warriors 114-101, the result was decided by the Warriors (31-30) surpassing the Clippers (29-31) in only 1.5 games.
The Warriors, who have missed Steph Curry until mid-March because of runner’s knee, got 22 points from Brandin Podziemski. 20 entered the first half. Al Horford put up 17 points and six rebounds while De’Anthony Melton had a rough shooting night and made just 3 of 14 from the field.
Kawhi Leonard scored 23 for the Clippers, while Kris Dunn scored 16.
The Clippers outscored the Warriors 70-45 in the second half, with Melton, Podziemski and Moses Moody combining for only four points in the second half. Moody left the game midway through the fourth quarter and went back to the locker room. He fell hard while looking for a loose ball in the second quarter but passed it.
The Clippers were coming off a home win over the Pelicans the night before, while the Warriors spent the day smarting from their loss to the Lakers at the Chase Center.
The Warriors led 31-19 after one quarter, holding the Clippers to just 7 of 25 shooting despite Darius Garland making his Clippers debut after being traded for James Harden at the deadline. That lead stood at 56-42 at halftime, but it didn’t last.
Encouraged by the return of Darius Garland, who had been sidelined with an ankle injury since being traded to the Cavaliers, the Clippers edged the Warriors 79-77 at the end of three games. Kris Dunn’s layup with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter gave the Clippers an 84-82 lead, an advantage they would not relinquish.
The Warriors will have two days off before they begin a three-game road trip to Houston.
A new starting list
The Warriors attempted to fill much-needed roster spots by adding their starting five, including Podziemski along with Melton, Moses Moody, Horford and Draymond Green.
Steve Kerr has repeatedly stressed that the team needs to be smart to find spaces around Green while Curry is battling a runner’s knee, and the new starting lineup brings down four talented 3-point shooters.
The combination played just three minutes together in the first quarter, and Gui Santos entered with Golden State up 6-4. They then played the first five minutes of the third quarter, losing by two points before Santos came back in with the Warriors up 63-53.
Nate Williams gets an extended run
Nate Williams has had a lot on his plate in the last 48 hours. The father-to-be played in Sunday’s G League showdown between the Santa Cruz Warriors and the San Diego Clippers, then turned around and participated in the big league version the next day as a Two-Way player.
The energetic 6-foot-5 wing earned first-quarter minutes from Steve Kerr, and rewarded the coach for putting in a lot of effort during his time on the field. He put up 18 points, scoring all of them by rushing around the rim, at the line and behind the arc.
He also gave Kawhi Leonard his undivided attention. At one point in the third quarter, he maintained a defensive position and shuffled his feet from base to base while shadowing a future Hall of Famer….who didn’t have the ball.
Williams, 25, made his case for more minutes in the future.
Porzingis, Richard injury update
Kristaps Porzingis missed his fifth straight game with what the team often refers to as an “illness” on Monday night. The player has played one game for the Warriors since being traded to the Hawks, and coach Steve Kerr was unsure if Porzingis would join the team for its upcoming three-game road trip that begins Thursday in Houston.
Porzingis has been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), but Kerr said it is unclear if Porzingis’ illness is related to POTS.
“It’s weird, and obviously we’re working with him and hoping he can get some clarity and break through and get to where he stays healthy,” Kerr said. “That’s something the medical staff is working hard on with him. I’m not going to express medical opinions.”
Meanwhile, Will Richard was seen walking around the locker room in a boot around his right ankle. He keeps coming out with an ankle.
