SAN FRANCISCO _ Warriors guard D'Angelo Russell, with 32 points in 25 minutes, laid on the court, face down, in front of the Mavericks' bench. On the heels of a four-game win streak, it was a stark reminder for Golden State of just how precarious this season has been.
The Warriors lost to the Mavericks, 141-121, Saturday at Chase Center. Riding high after stringing together its longest win streak of the season, Golden State could not push it to five games despite Russell's heroics.
Russell made his first six shots and scored the Warriors' first 15 points in the opening 2:36 as the Warriors (9-25) got out to a 15-9 lead. He went on to make his first seven shots and score 18 points in the first six minutes of the game. By the end of an exciting first quarter, the Warriors and Mavericks (21-10) were tied at 41.
During the second quarter, it seemed the arrogant Warriors had returned when Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis fouled forward Glenn Robinson III on a layup attempt. Guard Klay Thompson, suited on the sideline as he rehabs from a torn ACL, and forward Draymond Green excited the Chase Center crowd when they flamboyantly began talking trash to the Mavericks players.
As Golden State went into halftime with a 74-72 lead after a first half that featured eight lead changes and 28 combined 3-pointers, it seemed they were on their way to an improbable fifth consecutive win.
Then, with 5:27 left in the third quarter and the Warriors down by five, Russell ran head-first into the left hip of Mavs star Luka Doncic. He collapsed immediately and remained on the court near the Mavericks' bench for several minutes. A stretcher was wheeled out, but Russell eventually got up on his own two feet and walked to the locker room under his own power.
Russell was in the midst of a career night, and left the game with 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting (8 of 12 from 3-point range), four rebounds and six assists in 25 minutes _ perhaps on his way to eclipsing his previous career-high 52 points that he recorded against the Timberwolves earlier this season.
The injury left the Warriors reeling, and the Mavericks then completed a 23-4 run to break the game open and take a 105-86 lead.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Russell checked in from what the Warriors called a right shoulder contusion to a standing ovation from the Chase Center crowd. He scored his first points after his return on a corner 3-pointer but, by then, Golden State had fallen behind 135-108 with only 7:46 left to play.
Russell finished with 35 points on 13-for-21 shooting (9 for 14 from 3-point range), six assists and four rebounds in 30 minutes. Guard Damion Lee had 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting (3 for 4 from 3-point range) and 12 rebounds, and guard Alec Burks chipped in 16 points off the bench.
The Mavericks were led by Doncic's triple-double effort: 31 points on 8-for-16 shooting (5 for 8 from 3-point range), 15 assists and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes.
For the Warriors, the loss is disappointing, especially considering how close it was for so long. One Mavericks' run and an injury scare put the game out of reach.
However, after losing Stephen Curry to a season-altering broken left hand in a chance collision earlier in the season, they can walk away from Saturday's game knowing it could have been a lot worse.
