OAKLAND, Calif. _ For the second consecutive game, the Golden State Warriors could not lean on Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson to sink a 3-pointer, Kevin Durant to go on a scoring binge or Draymond Green to make a defensive stop.
It seemed like the Warriors could manage just fine. But then the second half happened, and the Warriors ran out of talent in a 92-81 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday at Oracle Arena. In what marked their second consecutive loss and sixth out of their last eight games, the Warriors (54-20) fell apart at a time they usually take control of a game.
That moment happened in the third quarter.
The Warriors had held a 48-39 half-time lead over Indiana by adopting a workmanlike attitude that ensured a balanced offense and a disciplined defense. While the Warriors shot 44.7 percent from the field and doled out 14 assists, they also held the Pacers to a 40.5 percent clip, recorded seven blocks and outrebounded them, 31-17.
In the third quarter, the Warriors went through an identity shift. Indiana outscored the Warriors, 29-22, during that period. The Pacers tied the game, 50-50, by opening the third quarter with an 11-2 run. Even Indiana forward Glenn Robinson III threw down a 360-degree dunk off a transition basket.
To make matters worse: the Warriors' training room became more crowded. Warriors rookie forward Jordan Bell went to the locker room with 6:58 left after favoring his left knee following a fall. Although Bell played for nearly two minutes after taking the fall, he winced in pain when he fell on the ground with 9:16 left in the third quarter. Although the Warriors did not have an immediate medical update on Bell, he has missed a combined 17 games already with left and right ankle injuries.
The Warriors took a 70-68 lead entering the fourth quarter, partly because Warriors forward scored seven of his 11 points during that stretch. Yet, the Warriors never recovered from their third-quarter collapse.
After making his first three shots, Nick Young finished with 12 points on only 4-of-11 shooting. Although Quinn Cook had 11 points, seven assists and four rebounds, he went 5 of 17 from the field, including a 2-of-9 clip in the first half. The Warriors also only had nine free-throw attempts.
The Warriors surely could have used Curry. If only Warriors coach Steve Kerr were serious when he joked that Curry would return in the first round of the playoffs. Instead, Curry's Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee will keep him out for the next three weeks and likely beyond.
"We don't have the luxury of relaxing on the offensive end," Iguodala said. "(Curry) bails us out a lot."
Good news for the Warriors: help is on the way soon.
Kerr said Durant, after missing six straight games, will return for Thursday's game against Milwaukee at Oracle Arena. Durant participated in a full contact practice on Monday and a morning shootaround and pregame workout on Tuesday. But the Warriors stressed caution.
"KD feels like he's ready to go. But we're going to give him two extra days just to be really safe," Kerr said. "The last thing we want is for anybody to re-injure something or have something linger. So we're going to be extra cautious with everybody."
Kerr also anticipated Green would return on Thursday against the Bucks. He has missed a combined 11 games this season because of right shoulder soreness, a sprained left index finger and a pelvic contusion, but Kerr did not express concern about Green's long-term health. The Warriors simply rested him after he showed what Kerr called "discomfort" during Tuesday's morning shootaround.
"It hasn't been healthy in terms of keeping food down," Kerr said. "The illness is still lingering. It made no sense to play. He wanted to play, but we didn't let him either."
As a result, the Warriors experienced some more short-term adversity.
