What we learned as Steph goes cold in Warriors’ loss to Pacers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Jonathan Kuminga was back in peak form, scoring 26 points and grabbing eight rebounds but the Warriors couldn’t make it stand up and lost to the Indiana Pacers 111-105 on Monday at Chase Center.
Stephen Curry had a rough night shooting and finished with 10 points and seven assists. He shot just 2 of 13 overall.
Andrew Wiggins scored 16 points. Trayce Jackson-Davis had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists while Buddy Hield added 13 points.
The Warriors trailed most of the night and were down 106-104 with 1:42 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter but failed to get any closer despite a late Pacers turnover. Curry’s potential go-ahead 3-pointer clanked off the front of the rim, and Indiana’s Myles Turner responded with a 3-pointer to help secure Indiana’s win.
Golden State (15-13) has lost five of its last six.
The Pacers remained the only NBA team that is undefeated at Chase Center with a 6-0 mark.
Next up for the Warriors are the Los Angeles Lakers. The two teams square off Wednesday at Chase Center in the centerpiece of the NBA’s Christmas Day fiesta.
Here are the takeaways from Monday’s game:
JK listens, learns
Kuminga appeared to take Steve Kerr’s comments about attacking the rim and being more aggressive to heart. The 6-foot-7 forward, indirectly criticized for rushing his shot and not doing more to get Curry involved in Friday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, came out in attack mode from the jump against the Pacers.
Nearly every shot that he took was inside the key and close the rim, exactly the type of stuff where he excels. JK also showed extreme patience both with his shot and getting the ball to others. Kuminga dished out four assists.
Kuminga’s effort was the foundation for a great night by Golden State’s bench, which held a 53-25 scoring advantage over Indiana.
Silent night from Steph
So much for making sure Curry stays involved in the offense.
The two-time NBA MVP attempted just four shots in the first half and missed them all. His only points in the opening two quarters came via two free throws.
Curry didn’t make a bucket until sinking a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left in the third quarter. The 3-point king finished the night 2 of 9 behind the arc.
TJD makes presence felt
Jackson-Davis has been playing a lot better over the past few days after Kerr put him back in the starting lineup.
After matching his season-high of 15 points during Saturday’s game against the Timberwolves, Jackson-Davis was a steady presence on offense while helping the Warriors establish a consistent presence down low against the Pacers.
Jackson-Davis came up two rebounds short of his second double-double of the season.
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