Steve Kerr did not hold back after the Golden State Warriors’ 114-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets, pointing to turnovers as a major factor in the defeat.
Speaking postgame, Kerr emphasized how giveaways hurt his team, saying, “It’s hard to win an NBA game when you turn the ball over to the other team 10 times. That’s what we were facing tonight,” via Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
The Warriors struggled from the start, missing 13 of their first 14 three-point attempts while Denver built an early double-digit lead. Golden State failed to recover, snapping its seven-game winning streak.
Aaron Gordon took advantage of the short-handed Nuggets’ opportunity, leading Denver with a season-high 38 points on 14-for-23 shooting. Russell Westbrook added a triple-double with 12 points, 16 assists, and 12 rebounds.
Despite missing Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets (44-25) controlled the game with efficient shooting and disciplined execution. They finished at 46.7% from the field while limiting Golden State to just 24.2% from three-point range.
Stephen Curry, who has been dealing with a back issue, managed 20 points and seven assists but struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 4-for-14. Jimmy Butler led the Warriors with 23 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.
Kerr acknowledged his team’s lackluster start, saying, “We didn’t respond right away. We played poorly out of the gates and never found rhythm. They played great. The right team won.”
Draymond Green contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists, becoming the sixth player in franchise history to reach 6,000 career rebounds. Gary Payton II provided a spark off the bench with 18 points and three steals.
Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, while Peyton Watson added 13 points. Westbrook sealed the win with a clutch three-pointer in the final minutes.
The Warriors (39-29) dropped to 14-3 since Butler’s debut and will look to regroup as they push for a higher seed in the Western Conference.
