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The Golden State Warriors squandered a 17-point lead to the Los Angeles Clippers - and with it, part of their shrinking lead for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
With Stephen Curry sidelined an 11th straight game - and Kristaps Porzingis out a fifth straight game - the Warriors relinquished their first-half advantage when their offense stalled in the second half of a 1114-101 loss Monday at Chase Center. Golden State shot 15 of 46 in the final two quarters after its effective team defense spotted it a sizable lead.
As a result, the Warriors (31-30) have a 1.5-game lead over the Clippers, who pressed their advantage in talent to win the second half 72-45. The No. 7 and No. 8 seeds get double elimination in the play-in tournament while the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds are subject to single elimination.
Brandin Podziemski led Golden State with 22 points, scoring 20 in the first half on 8-of-12 shooting. Two-way signee Nate Williams scored a career-high 18 and Al Horford added 17 points.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers (29-31) with 23 points and eight rebounds.
The Warriors set the defensive tone that eluded them Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers, holding the Clippers to 37.2% first-half shooting. Active ball pressure and cohesive help mucked up their offense with Green shadowing Leonard - and double teams coming when he wasn't - and holding him to 3-of-6 first-half shooting.
Podziemski commandeered Golden State's offense - and with it a 56-42 halftime lead. He punctured the paint, attacking in rhythm, en route to his 20 first-half points as Moody spaced the floor around him with 10 points and two 3-pointers.
Los Angeles opened the second half with an offensive rhythm that cut the lead to eight. But Williams turned an offensive rebound into a catch-and-shoot three from the corner. Attacks from Leonard and stellar team defense helped the Clippers pull within two with 12 minutes to play.
A catch-and-shoot triple by Kris Dunn ignited an 11-2 run for Los Angeles atop the fourth quarter.
Golden State begins a three-game trip Thursday against the Houston Rockets.
Clippers 114, Warriors 101
| FG | FT | Reb | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L.A. CLIPPERS | Min | M-A | M-A | O-T | A | PF | PTS |
| Jones Jr. | 24:19 | 2-12 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| Leonard | 28:56 | 9-14 | 2-2 | 2-8 | 4 | 1 | 23 |
| Lopez | 23:56 | 3-8 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Dunn | 25:56 | 7-10 | 0-0 | 0-7 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
| Sanders | 21:33 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Mathurin | 31:26 | 6-13 | 5-5 | 1-7 | 0 | 2 | 17 |
| Miller | 25:00 | 5-6 | 2-2 | 1-6 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Garland | 22:49 | 4-9 | 2-2 | 1-2 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Niederhauser | 21:13 | 3-6 | 5-6 | 2-9 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
| Batum | 6:19 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christie | 2:51 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Omier | 2:51 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Jr. | 2:51 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 240:00 | 42-85 | 21-23 | 15-52 | 18 | 17 | 114 |
Percentages: FG .494, FT .913.
3-Point Goals: 9-31, .290 (Leonard 3-6, Sanders 2-3, Dunn 2-4, Garland 2-7, Batum 0-1, Mathurin 0-2, Jones Jr. 0-4, Lopez 0-4).
Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: None.
Blocked Shots: 7 (Niederhauser 4, Mathurin, Miller, Sanders).
Turnovers: 14 (Garland 5, Mathurin 4, Jones Jr. 2, Dunn, Leonard, Miller).
Steals: 9 (Dunn 2, Leonard 2, Niederhauser 2, Garland, Jones Jr., Mathurin).
Technical Fouls: None.
| FG | FT | Reb | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOLDEN STATE | Min | M-A | M-A | O-T | A | PF | PTS |
| Green | 31:21 | 1-5 | 1-2 | 0-2 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Moody | 25:04 | 4-12 | 0-0 | 1-3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Horford | 27:04 | 5-11 | 3-5 | 2-6 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| Melton | 27:05 | 3-14 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Podziemski | 36:58 | 9-18 | 1-2 | 1-7 | 3 | 1 | 22 |
| Santos | 31:01 | 2-8 | 0-0 | 3-10 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Williams | 21:32 | 5-8 | 5-6 | 2-2 | 2 | 1 | 18 |
| Spencer | 21:03 | 3-8 | 2-2 | 1-2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| Post | 12:27 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Leons | 6:25 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 240:00 | 36-93 | 12-17 | 15-40 | 26 | 17 | 101 |
Percentages: FG .387, FT .706.
3-Point Goals: 17-48, .354 (Horford 4-8, Williams 3-4, Podziemski 3-6, Moody 2-8, Post 1-3, Santos 1-3, Spencer 1-4, Green 1-5, Melton 1-7).
Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: 2.
Blocked Shots: 2 (Horford, Post).
Turnovers: 12 (Green 3, Melton 2, Podziemski 2, Santos 2, Moody, Spencer, Williams).
Steals: 7 (Santos 3, Green, Melton, Moody, Williams).
Technical Fouls: None.
| L.A. Clippers | 19 | 23 | 35 | 37 | - | 114 |
| Golden State | 31 | 25 | 23 | 22 | - | 101 |
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This article originally published at Warriors sizzle, then fizzle in loss to Clippers that imperils place in play-in tourney.