SAN FRANCISCO – Eight different Warriors combined to take 24 shots Monday night before Stephen Curry took his first, a wayward 3-point attempt 85 seconds into the second quarter.
This is not what Warriors coach Steve Kerr had in mind in recent days when emphatically reminding Curry’s teammates that the two-time NBA MVP is the team’s featured offensive performer.
Yet in the flow of this game, this opposite approach seemed reasonable. Considering the amount of attention Curry was receiving from the Indiana Pacers, his teammates were getting cleaner looks. He recognized it and became more decoy than producer, more passer than shooter. He has filled that role many times in his 16-year NBA career, so this wasn’t new.
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Not until Curry’s 24th minute, with 41.1 seconds left in the third quarter, did he make his first shot, a triple from the right wing, pulling Golden State’s deficit from nine to six (89-83) and bringing the anxious sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center to its feet.
That one shot provided a spark that was enough to lift the Warriors from an extended uphill slog, igniting a pulsating fourth quarter before it became apparent that neither Curry nor his teammates had what it took to finish the Pacers.
Even with the Warriors digging in and intensifying their defense over the final 12 minutes, Indiana had enough to close out a 111-105 victory. The Pacers outscored Golden State 14-8 over the final 4:43 to run their unbeaten streak at Chase Center to six games.
Harassed by Indiana bulldog guard Andrew Nembhard, who had plenty of help, Curry finished with 10 points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field, including 2-of-9 from beyond the arc.
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“Tough night for him,” Kerr said. “It happens.”
Curry did not let himself off easy, conceding that his game, despite his fantastic finish Saturday in Minnesota, is missing its typical proficiency.
“It could be a lot better, and it will be,” he said. “We’re being defended a certain way, but it’s nothing I haven't seen before. You just got to understand when to pick and choose your spots based on the attention you get. Get the ball moving, try to find a rhythm a little earlier.
“That might be a little bit of an adjustment, but it’s something I’ve been through and always try to find a way to bounce back.”
There were silver linings in defeat. The Warriors, across the board, were playing with pace and moving the ball. That was Kerr’s goal in goading his players, particularly youngsters Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski to remember that the offense runs through Curry’s gravity. His presence, even when his shot is absent, always matters.
Curry was the only Golden State starter to finish with a positive plus/minus (plus-6). He had seven assists on a night when the Warriors shot 43.3 percent from the field.
“I thought we got good looks for much of the game,” Kerr said. “Our guys played really good basketball for good stretches. It was a slow start, with the turnovers. But we got that settled quickly. Our guys competed and had chances but couldn’t put the ball in the basket.”
Kuminga played at a level that, if frequent, could lead to a big-money future. He made one notably questionable decision, but mostly emphasized his strengths and utilized them. He finished with a game-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-3 from deep. He had four assists and only one turnover.
This was one of those games when neither of the battle-tested scorers in the Warriors’ starting lineup – Andrew Wiggins and Curry – delivered with the game on the line. They were a combined 3-of-12 from the floor in the first quarter.
“We had some possessions that weren’t great,” Kerr said. “But all in all, pretty good looks. I love the way the guys competed and stuck together . . . just couldn’t knock down enough shots to win the game.”
Curry usually handles that. He did not.
“I’ve got to play better – and I will,” he said. “But as a whole, we’ve just got to maintain our confidence in what we’re doing and not have those little spurts where we give a team life.”
There surely will be nights when Curry does play better. Much better. But if the Warriors are to earn their way into the postseason, he’s still going to need plenty of help. A leader, no matter how great, always requires a strong supporting cast to succeed.