The Golden State Warriors close out their preseason with a heart-stopping loss to the rival L.A. Clippers—could this be a red flag for the season ahead? Fans of the Warriors were probably hoping for a triumphant send-off to their preseason schedule, but instead, they faced a tough 106-103 defeat at the hands of the Clippers. For those new to basketball, preseason games are like warm-up matches before the real action begins—they help teams test strategies, get players into shape, and experiment with lineups without the high stakes of the regular season. But here's where it gets controversial: how much should we read into these results? Are they just preseason fluff, or do they hint at deeper issues? Stick around as we break down the full box score, stats, and what this all might mean, with clear explanations to make it easy for newcomers to follow.
First, let's dive into the L.A. Clippers' performance. They dominated in several key areas, posting a team field goal percentage of .477 (meaning they made 42 out of 88 shots from the field) and a free throw accuracy of .667 (14 out of 21). Their three-point shooting was a mixed bag at .235 (8 out of 34 attempts), with standout contributors like RJ Barrett (wait, no, the stats show players like Sanders—let's list them accurately: Sanders nailed 4 out of 9, Brown 2 out of 4, and others chipped in). On the boards, they grabbed 15 offensive and 49 total rebounds, showing strong hustle. For beginners, rebounds are like recovering the ball after a missed shot—they're crucial for second chances. The Clippers also had 8 team rebounds, no team turnovers (that's rare and impressive), 4 blocked shots (led by Niederhauser with 2), 20 total turnovers (which can kill momentum), and 11 steals (think of them as intercepted passes). No technical fouls kept things clean. And this is the part most people miss: despite a balanced effort, their shooting from outside wasn't scorching—could that be a vulnerability the Warriors exploit later?
Looking at the individual players for the Clippers:
- Marcus Morris Sr. (listed as Brown in the stats) played 26:17, shooting 2-8 from the field and 0-0 from the line, with 1-9 rebounds and 6 points.
- Derrick Jones Jr. got 6:58 on the court, a perfect 2-2 from the field, 0-0 free throws, 0-0 rebounds, and 4 points.
- Ivica Zubac was in for 16:51, 1-3 shooting, 0-0 free throws, 0-3 rebounds, and 2 points.
- Bradley Beal contributed 14:38 minutes, hitting 6-9 from the field, 0-0 free throws, 1-2 rebounds, and 12 points.
- Devin Dunn (likely Dunn) played 6:58, 2-4 field goals, 0-1 free throws, 0-1 rebounds, and 4 points.
- RJ Barrett (Sanders in stats) led with 37:03, 8-15 shooting, 5-6 free throws, 1-4 rebounds, and 25 points.
- Robby Huerter (Niederhauser) had 25:43 minutes, 5-10 field goals, 3-4 free throws, 7-11 rebounds, and 13 points.
- Patrick Baldwin Jr. was on for 17:49, 0-5 shooting, 0-0 free throws, 1-5 rebounds, and 0 points.
- Jordyn Telfort played 15:38, 4-7 field goals, 0-0 free throws, 1-3 rebounds, and 9 points.
- Jason Preston contributed 15:24 minutes, 2-3 shooting, 2-4 free throws, 1-3 rebounds, and 6 points.
- Bojan Bogdanovic got 14:10, 2-4 field goals, 0-0 free throws, 0-0 rebounds, and 4 points.
- Jordan Miller played 13:14, 3-6 shooting, 1-2 free throws, 2-6 rebounds, and 7 points.
- Max Christie was in for 12:00, 4-6 field goals, 3-4 free throws, 0-0 rebounds, and 12 points.
- John Collins had 8:41 minutes, 0-4 shooting, 0-0 free throws, 0-1 rebounds, and 0 points.
- PJ Washington Jr. contributed 8:36, 1-2 field goals, 0-0 free throws, 0-1 rebounds, and 2 points.
Their totals add up to 42-88 field goals, 14-21 free throws, 15-49 rebounds, 30 assists, 15 personal fouls, and 106 points. Three-point goals were 8-34 overall, with specifics as noted. Turnovers were high at 20, mostly from Niederhauser (4) and Zubac (4), but 11 steals kept the defense lively. Blocked shots at 4 show they protected the rim well.
Now, flipping to the Golden State Warriors—they fought hard but came up just short. Their field goal percentage was .465 (40 out of 86), free throws at .727 (8 out of 11), and three-point shooting a respectable .326 (15 out of 46), which might surprise some given Steph Curry's reputation as a sharpshooter. They grabbed 11 offensive and 40 total rebounds, with 7 team rebounds and no team turnovers. Blocks were at 4 (led by Horford, Jackson-Davis, Post, and Curry), turnovers hit 23 (a bit sloppy, especially Podziemski with 6), and they matched the steals at 11. Again, no technical fouls. For context, turnovers can swing games—imagine losing possession 23 times; that's like giving the other team free chances. And here's where it gets controversial: Curry, the Warriors' superstar, went 7-16 from the field for 20 points, but with 5 assists and 4 rebounds, he was still impactful. Is his preseason shooting a worry, or just typical rust?
Breaking down the Warriors' player stats:
- Draymond Green played 21:46, shooting 4-5 from the field, 0-1 free throws, 1-6 rebounds, and 9 points.
- Brandin Podziemski got 20:16 minutes, 2-4 shooting, 0-0 free throws, 0-2 rebounds, and 5 points.
- Al Horford contributed 19:39, 4-8 field goals, 1-1 free throws, 0-0 rebounds, and 10 points.
- Stephen Curry led scoring with 29:36 on the court, 7-16 shooting, 2-2 free throws, 1-4 rebounds, and 20 points.
- Nick Timothée (Richard) played 27:04, 5-14 field goals, 0-0 free throws, 1-4 rebounds, and 13 points.
- Buddy Hield was in for 23:17, 4-10 shooting, 0-0 free throws, 1-2 rebounds, and 11 points.
- Gui Santos contributed 22:51 minutes, 3-4 field goals, 0-0 free throws, 0-3 rebounds, and 7 points.
- Isaiah Spencer had 19:56, 3-7 shooting, 3-3 free throws, 2-5 rebounds, and 9 points.
- Micah Post played 16:56, 1-6 field goals, 0-0 free throws, 1-4 rebounds, and 3 points.
- Gary Payton II got 15:42, 3-6 shooting, 2-4 free throws, 1-3 rebounds, and 8 points.
- Jonathan Kuminga (Jackson-Davis) was on for 11:50, 4-5 field goals, 0-0 free throws, 2-2 rebounds, and 8 points.
- Johnathan Kuminga wait, no—actually, it's Jackson-Davis, and then Cryer (likely Jacob Cryer or similar) played 8:09, 0-1 shooting, 0-0 free throws, 1-4 rebounds, and 0 points.
- Jae'Sean Tate (Rowe) contributed 2:59 minutes, 0-0 shooting, 0-0 free throws, 0-1 rebounds, and 0 points.
Their totals: 40-86 field goals, 8-11 free throws, 11-40 rebounds, 25 assists, 19 personal fouls, and 103 points. Three-point goals were 15-46, with Curry hitting 4-8, Hield 3-9, and others. Turnovers were led by Podziemski (6) and Green (5), while steals were evenly distributed, with Richard grabbing 3. Blocks showed defensive promise.
The game unfolded with the Clippers taking a 31-21 lead in the first quarter, then 16-22 in the second for a 47-43 halftime edge. The third quarter saw them extend to 38-31, making it 85-74. But the Warriors stormed back with 21 points in the fourth, outscoring 29-21 to close the gap—yet falling just short. Attendance was 18,064 in the arena, and the game lasted 2 hours and 13 minutes.
But here's where it gets really intriguing: was this a mere preseason hiccup, or does it reveal weaknesses in Golden State's defense against a Clippers team loaded with talent? Some might argue the Warriors were experimenting with new players like Podziemski, which could explain the turnovers. Others might point to Curry's off night as a fluke. Controversially, what if the Warriors' reliance on three-point shooting backfires in the regular season against tougher defenses? Do you think this loss will motivate them or shake their confidence? Share your thoughts in the comments—do you agree it's no big deal, or are you worried about what this means for the playoffs? Let's discuss!
