Warriors Falter Against Clippers Despite Opportunity to Capitalize

The Golden State Warriors suffered a frustrating 103–102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday evening, continuing a stretch of underwhelming performances that have left their play-in prospects hanging by a thread. Despite facing a Clippers team missing James Harden, Golden State failed to fully exploit the absence, with the offense struggling far more than expected.

The Clippers, who had most of their rotation intact—including Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac—started the game strong, taking an early lead in the first quarter. Even without Harden, Los Angeles managed to maintain control for much of the night, though sloppy play and 20 turnovers kept the game within reach for the Warriors. Golden State’s shooting woes were glaring, as they finished 35-for-92 from the field (38.0%) and 10-for-41 from three-point range (24.4%). Notably, both figures were buoyed by a late fourth-quarter push, suggesting the team was far worse than the box score might initially indicate.

Individual Performances: Green, Butler, and Curry

Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler III were the primary bright spots for Golden State. Green’s three-point shooting struggled, but his impact on the defensive end and his passing remained as sharp as ever, consistently generating opportunities and disrupting Clippers’ possessions. Butler was highly efficient with 24 points on 16 shots, along with six rebounds, demonstrating his ability to shoulder scoring responsibilities in crunch time. Gary Payton II also contributed, adding 14 points largely through effective back-cutting, providing some offensive spark off the bench.

Steph Curry, however, had an uncharacteristically difficult night. Despite leading the team with 27 points, he shot just 9-for-23 from the field and a dismal 4-for-15 from beyond the arc. Curry missed several open looks and forced shots in frustration, reflecting the team’s broader offensive dysfunction. His inability to find rhythm early in the game compounded Golden State’s scoring struggles.

Late-Game Drama and Coaching Ejection

The fourth quarter saw the Warriors attempt a dramatic comeback. With the deficit down to seven, Curry drew a foul and made a challenging acrobatic shot, but the referees inexplicably ruled the play a non-shooting foul. Tensions boiled over when a clear goaltending call on John Collins was ignored, leading to a fiery ejection of head coach Steve Kerr.

Even without Kerr on the sideline, Golden State continued to chip away at the Clippers’ lead. Butler made consecutive threes to cut the deficit to four, only to have Kris Dunn respond from the corner. Curry eventually regained some consistency, hitting back-to-back threes to bring the Warriors within a single point with just over a minute remaining. However, a missed rebound and an unnecessary foul by Curry, who had already accumulated six fouls, sent Dunn to the line, extending the Clippers’ lead to three points.

Green’s drive inside reduced the deficit to one with 32 seconds left, and a critical defensive stop gave Golden State a chance to seize the lead. Unfortunately, Butler’s difficult fadeaway missed the mark, sealing a narrow defeat.

Implications for the Season

The loss drops the Warriors to 19–18 on the season, complicating their path toward climbing out of the play-in tournament. While the team showed resilience in the fourth quarter, their inability to capitalize on a shorthanded opponent underscores ongoing offensive inefficiencies and reliance on individual heroics.

Golden State will have a chance to rebound when they return home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night at Chase Center. The matchup will test whether the Warriors can regain cohesion, maintain consistent shooting, and avoid unnecessary mistakes in the waning moments of games—a critical factor as they aim to solidify a postseason berth.