Klay Thompson just misses game-tying shot in Warriors loss to Knicks
Golden State Warriors vs. New York Knicks: Klay Thompson's potential
game-tying shot clanks in second straight loss
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson (11) reacts after missing a game-tying basket against the New
York Knicks to lose 116-114 at the Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson (11) reacts after missing a game-tying basket against the New
York Knicks to lose 116-114 at the Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: February 10, 2022 at 9:35 p.m. | UPDATED: February 11, 2022
at 7:18 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/02/10/warriors-fourth-quarter-comeback-falls-short-in-loss-to-knicks/

SAN FRANCISCO — Despite a valiant fourth-quarter effort that had them
one point down with seconds remaining, a few shortcomings caught up to
the Golden State Warriors’ in their 116-114 loss to the New York Knicks
on Thursday night at Chase Center.

Out-rebounded again and bullied by the powerful Knicks, the Warriors
managed to push the game to its final possession. Down two points with
five seconds remaining, head coach Steve Kerr ran a play for Klay
Thompson, who found himself with an excellent look atop the key. His
jumper over Evan Fournier bounced off the back of the rim, sending a
Chase Center crowd on its feet into exasperation and the Warriors to
their second straight loss in both legs of this back-to-back.

“Great look,” Thompson said of his potential game-tying shot.
“Unfortunately it was long.”

The loss might’ve come down to a few inches, but a few bigger issues
emerged.

- Slow pace

Draymond Green’s extended absence is exposing the Warriors’ lack of pace
without him. Since Green was sidelined a month ago, the Warriors have
slowed considerably, averaging 96 possessions per game over the last
week compared to the top teams that collect more than 100 possessions.

This played into the Knicks’ advantage, as they used their size and
strength to slow the Warriors down considerably through the first three
quarters. Down six points by the end of the third quarter, Kerr opted
for small ball lineups to quicken the pace.

>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors’
Stephen Curry (30) passes the ball against New York Knicks’ Immanuel
Quickley (5) and New York Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson (23) in the second
quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Feb.
10, 2022.

“I thought that was the first time we really pushed it. I thought there
were a lot of possessions we were jogging down the sideline,” Kerr said.
“Without Draymond the last few weeks, our pace is near the bottom of the
league. We have not been a very good transition team for several weeks.
We’ve been relying on three-point shooting, we’ve done a good job making
shots to win games but you aren’t going to make all of them.”

With Jonathan Kuminga in at center with Andrew Wiggins, Steph Curry,
Thompson and Jordan Poole for most of the final six minutes, the
Warriors went on a tear, grasping just enough contested defensive
rebounds and turning them into a Wiggins three-pointer and Poole layup
in transition to put Golden State two points back with just under five
minutes remaining.

But two missed rebounds led to a Quentin Grimes three-pointer. Kuminga
made two free throws with a minute left to cut the deficit to 112-110.
But Curry’s potential game-tying layup hung just a bit too long on the
rim and missed, then Kuminga’s blocked shot on the other end turned into
a goaltend. The Chase Center crowd sprung their feet, ready to witness a
thriller that fell just short.

A few missed Knicks free throws gave way for Thompson’s miss.

- Lack of size

Carrying over from their blowout loss to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday
night, the Warriors were out-worked on the boards with the Knicks
collecting 66 rebounds to the Warriors’ 45 by the game’s end.

Over their last two losses, the Warriors have been out-rebounded 118-80.
The big gap in rebounds stems from the team’s lack of size without Green
and James Wiseman active.

“We’re missing Draymond, who is an incredible and tenacious rebounder,”
Thompson said. “People forget we have James Wiseman. He’s going to help
us so much on the glass. That right there will be huge for us.”

Added Kerr: “Draymond is a game-changer for us. I think we’re doing a
great job in his absence. We are who we are, we’re a small team.”

Granted, Kevon Looney has been a rebounding vacuum in Green’s place over
the last month — he’s averaging just over 10 rebounds per game. But
Looney can only do so much. He played 20 minutes on Thursday, sitting
aside for Kuminga at center in crunch time to hasten the pace.

Hours before the game, the NBA trade deadline came and went without the
team’s brass pulling the trigger on trade to bring another center in as
depth. That lack of depth without Looney on the floor was most felt
defensively when Kuminga or Nemanja Bjelica played at the five.

>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors’
Jonathan Kuminga (00) dunks against the New York Knicks in the first
quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Feb.
10, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

While Kuminga made some flashy plays — a block at the rim, first deemed
a goaltend and reversed on a challenge — he didn’t box out for the
rebound at times. Bjelica incurred four fouls trying to stop the
bully-ball Knicks. Sidelined recently with back spasms, it was his first
game back since Jan. 27 — and it showed.

“When he’s out there the game on offense really flows,” Kerr said.
“First game he’s played in 10 or 12 days, I thought he got a little
tired in the second half so his run in the second half wasn’t good, but
Belli is helpful for us. His presence on the bench is match-up based, so
we decided to go small and away from him in most of that fourth.”

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- Up next

The Warriors will see the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Saturday in
hopes of snapping this small losing streak. In the nationally televised
game, Golden State will be seeing a Lakers team in the throes of a
mediocre stretch. The Lakers have lost seven of their last 10 games and
publicly tried, and failed, to trade point guard Russell Westbrook at
the deadline.

The Warriors haven’t played the Lakers since Opening Night in October,
where the grabbed a win over what was then a title-favorite LA team.
Title odds have changed for both teams since then.

“I understand why the pundits didn’t consider us in that group, but I
think we have more than enough to win the West this year,” Thompson
said. “That’s the second ultimate goal, the first is the big one.”

>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors head
coach Steve Kerr talks to Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11)
during their game against the New York Knicks in the second quarter at
the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022.
(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors’ Andrew
Wiggins (22) fights for the ball against New York Knicks’ Taj Gibson
(67) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif.,
on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors’
Stephen Curry (30) reaches for a pass after falling down against the New
York Knicks in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson (11) scores a basket against New York Knicks’ Cam Reddish (21)
in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on
Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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Shayna Rubin | Oakland Athletics reporter