The Golden State Warriors faced the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday afternoon in a high-stakes matchup that determined playoff positioning. In a tough overtime loss, the Warriors fell 124–119, knocking them out of a guaranteed playoff spot. They now shift their focus to the NBA Play-In Tournament, where they’ll battle the Memphis Grizzlies for a postseason berth. After the game, Stephen Curry addressed the loss and the team’s ongoing struggles with rebounding.
“There’s a want-to effect—you can’t be casual,” Stephen Curry said of the Warriors’ issues on the glass. “You can’t just take for granted that the ball is going to come your way, even if it’s in your vicinity. You’ve got to go get one. There was one Ben Simmons had on the baseline—me and BP were around there, and I kind of casually went for it.”
On the night, the Warriors gave up nine offensive rebounds to the Clippers, which turned into 14 second-chance points. Golden State, as a team, finished with just 25 total rebounds in the overtime loss. The Clippers, by contrast, pulled down 42 boards—17 of them by Ivica Zubac alone. Zubac also grabbed four offensive rebounds, more than the entire Warriors team (three).
“It’s like, just take what’s yours,” Curry added. “There’s a mentality around it, and for most of the game, we didn’t have that. Those possessions add up. We gave up six more offensive rebounds, and they had 17 more total. They’re a bigger team, and if we have a chance to get it, securing those possessions matters. You don’t want to lose sleep over it, but you have to address it moving forward.”
James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers is guarded by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors
Curry on rebound deficit
The game featured 23 lead changes and eight ties. The Clippers led for 27 minutes and 37 seconds, peaking at a seven-point advantage. The Warriors led for 20 minutes and 15 seconds, with their largest lead at 12. The game was tied for over five minutes. “You pretty much saw it,” Curry said when asked how the Warriors tried to overcome the rebounding disparity.
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“We had some heroics—me in the second half, Jimmy [Butler] in the first half, Draymond hitting big shots,” he said. “All of those just kept us afloat. If you cut out maybe three of my turnovers and add six or seven more rebounds, that’s 10 more shots we could’ve gotten. Against a team like that, you’re not expecting a blowout. One or two possessions make all the difference. That’s what’s frustrating.”
Draymond on rebounding and Grizzlies matchup
The Warriors now turn their attention to Tuesday night’s NBA Play-In game against the Memphis Grizzlies—a team they’ve handled well this season. Golden State went 3–1 in the season series, and since the addition of Jimmy Butler, the Warriors have gone 23–7 in their last 30 games.
“It’s tough to win,” Draymond Green said of the Warriors’ 17-rebound deficit. “We also didn’t get a lot of loose balls. Rebounding is one thing, but then there are those loose balls just bouncing around—and we’re not getting them. The long rebounds, they’re 50-50—we’re not getting those either. We’ve got to be better at that.”
Green also acknowledged the challenge Memphis presents. “Ja’s been playing incredible, shooting the ball really well,” he said. “Jaren’s been great all year. Bane’s bounced back after a tough start with injuries. They’ve got weapons, and we’ll have to bring our best.”
