BOX SCORE<\/p>\n
SAN FRANCISCO \u2013 After enjoying their first three-game win streak in more than two months, the Warriors now have dropped three straight with a 118-111 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night at Chase Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Warriors were down by as many as 13 points and looked like they could be on their way to a blowout loss. That wasn\u2019t the case at all, however. Back-to-back threes with eight minutes remaining gave Golden State its first lead since the opening minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A valiant effort came down to the final minute. The Warriors trailed by seven points at halftime and each team scored 64 points in the second half.<\/p>\n
Gui Santos returned from missing one game because of a pelvic contusion and scored 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Brandin Podziemski joined him as the Warriors\u2019 two 20-point scorers, also dropping 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting. While Podziemski scored 18 points in the second half, Santos scored 16 after halftime.<\/p>\n
Offensively, the Warriors continued to struggle shooting from long distance, and defensively the Cavs gave them enough problems with Donovan Mitchell scoring 25 points, Max Stus scoring 24 and James Harden adding 19.<\/p>\n
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors\u2019 third straight loss to drop their record to 36-41.<\/p>\n
Battle Of The Bigs\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Cavs are a rare team with firepower in both the backcourt and the frontcourt. Of course, they didn\u2019t have James Harden when these two teams met four months ago. But they also were without Jarrett Allen.<\/p>\n
Like they have been so often this season, the Warriors didn\u2019t have the majority of their top players in that game. That includes Draymond Green, and the addition of Kristaps Porzingis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The beginning of the game began with Green knocking down a 3-pointer, and the end of the first quarter closed on a Porzingis putback dunk. Poetically, Green also began the second half with a 3-pointer as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Porzingis missed each of his five 3-point attempts and still reached 16 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes, going 6 of 8 on 2-pointers. His running mate Green stuffed the stat sheet with eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a near triple-double. These two undoubtedly did their jobs.<\/p>\n
Coming into Thursday night, Allen had averaged 20.6 points and 10.0 rebounds in his last 15 games, and Mobley was averaging 20.2 points and 9.9 rebounds in his last 16 games. Allen ended with 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Mobley was held to 12 points and 10 rebounds.<\/p>\n
The Menace\u00a0<\/p>\n
Remember who the real star was the last time the Warriors and Cavs played each other? It was the birth of Pat \u201cI\u2019m That Motherf\u2013ker\u201d Spencer. Still on a two-way contract back then, Spencer was given his first career start and stole the show.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Spencer, on Dec. 6, scored 19 points against the Cavs and also added seven assists with just one turnover. He began the game on the bench Thursday night and still made a quick impact. Spencer helped start a 9-0 Warriors run with a 3-pointer when he first came in and scored seven points in the first quarter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He then went scoreless, playing five minutes in the third quarter. Immediately upon his return in the third quarter, Spencer made a stepback three and then a stepback jumper to bring the Warriors within two points of the Cavs. That was it for Spencer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t have the kind of game he had from four months ago, yet the Warriors always will take 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting from him in 16 minutes off the bench.<\/p>\n
It\u2019ll be interesting to see what Spencer\u2019s role is once Curry is on the court again. LJ Cryer has become a legit option because of his 3-point threat alone. Still, Spencer has earned plenty of trust.<\/p>\n
Final Countdown\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since Steph Curry last played on Jan. 30, the Warriors now have their second three-game losing streak. Deep breath, Dub Nation. Your savior should be back Sunday to stop the bleeding.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Curry, on Thursday, went through his second live scrimmage. Warriors coach Steve Kerr still won\u2019t make Sunday his definitive return date, though all signs point to that being the case. Kerr was able to watch much more of Curry\u2019s second scrimmage and certainly liked what he saw.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s pretty good. He looks like Steph Curry,\u201d Kerr said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even in a game where the Warriors hung tough for the majority, Curry\u2019s return is badly needed and will be warmly welcomed. Curry always has been more than a 3-point shooter, but his absence is obvious to all. The Warriors went into halftime shooting an ugly 22.2 percent (4 of 18) behind the 3-point line.<\/p>\n
If it weren\u2019t for Cryer hitting three straight triples, the results wouldn\u2019t have been much better in the second half. The Warriors took 12 more shots than the Cavs and made two fewer with a 43.6 field goal percentage and 27.3 3-point percentage (12 of 44).\u00a0<\/p>\n
See you soon, Steph.<\/p>\n