https://twitter.com/MontePooleNBCS/status/1617373616332472321?s=20&t=cNBbQW57L5Ke2-fI9K4hLQAfter the San Francisco 49ers punched their ticket to the NFC Championship game with a win over the Dallas Cowboys in Santa Clara, the Golden State Warriors looked to be on their way to handling business against the Brooklyn Nets at home on Sunday.
Following their impressive shorthanded win over the Cleveland Cavaliers to end their five-game road swing, the Warriors picked up where they left off in their return to Chase Center on Sunday.
The Warriors started fast, storming to a 17-point advantage over the Nets. However, the Nets wouldn’t go away despite the absence of Kevin Durant due to a knee injury.
Kyrie Irving put together a fiery performance in the second half, leading the Nets with 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field with five made triples to go along with nine assists and seven boards.
Behind Irving, the Nets erased the Warriors’ lead and tied the game late in the fourth quarter. With the Warriors holding onto a one-point lead, Irving set Royce O’Neale up for an open triple to give the Nets a two-point lead with under 30 seconds on the clock.
Klay Thompson and the Warriors couldn’t answer on the other end, dropping the game to the Nets, 120-116.
In the second half, the Nets outscored the Warriors 60-44, including 34-26 in the final frame. The Warriors have now dropped four straight games at San Francisco’s Chase Center.
Steph Curry led the way for the Warriors with 26 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the floor with four made 3-pointers, seven assists and six rebounds in 38 minutes. Jonathan Kuminga added 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor with three rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.
Following the Warriors’ letdown loss to the Nets, the NBA community on Twitter chimed in with a load of different reactions. Here’s a look at what fans and analysts had to say on Sunday night.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Final: Warriors give back hefty leads one too many times and lose, 120-116, to the Nets
-Fall back below .500 (23-24)
-Outshot, outrebounded, outsmarted, out-gritted
-Curry 26, Kuminga 20
-Klay/Wiggs 6/26 FG, 0/10 3p— Monte Poole (@MontePooleNBCS) January 23, 2023
Another bad loss for the Warriors. They blow a 17-point lead at home to a Nets team without Kevin Durant. They were up 12 with under six minutes left. Brooklyn closed on a 22-6 run. Rough fourth quarter for Steph Curry. Klay Thompson went 0 of 7 from 3. Record: 23-24.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 23, 2023
The for third straight game, the Warriors couldn't hold on to a double-digit lead. They led by 13 with just under seven minutes to go in the game, but were then outscored 27-10.
They fall to Brooklyn 120-116.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) January 23, 2023
kd not even on the same coast and they still lose 😔
— Chris Montano (@gswchris) January 23, 2023
Warriors blow another double-digit lead and fall to the Nets at home, 120-116.
I ask you: What went wrong?
— C.J. Holmes 🚀 (@CjHolmes22) January 23, 2023
Under .500 at almost at the 50 game mark, its time to panic
— Denver📈 (@doubledworth) January 23, 2023
Even if the Warriors won out, they’d finish with 58 wins. They just shouldn’t be in this position right now. There’s no excuse.
— Brian Witt (@Wittnessed) January 23, 2023
All of these terrible losses are certain to come back to bite the Warriors. They inevitably will knock them down multiple seeds and force them to play a more arduous path in the playoffs, assuming they get that far. It’s all going to add up. They’ve really blown it.
— Brian Witt (@Wittnessed) January 23, 2023
I need to go to bed on top of the @dallascowboys tragic loss @warriors blow a game to a KD LESS @BrooklynNets 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️ night night
— DaryleTHEGURUJohnson (@DDDGURU) January 23, 2023
Final 📊
Stephen – 26p/6r/7a/1s
Jonathan – 20p/3r
Jordan – 17p/4r/3a/1bl
Kevon – 14p/10r/1s/1bl
Donte – 13p/2r/8a/1s
Klay – 10p/2r/1a
Andrew – 4p/2r/3a/1s
Draymond – 9p/11r/7a/1s
Ty – 3p/2r/1a/1s pic.twitter.com/2ikVpeG8Dg— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 23, 2023
They’ve basically already blown their shot at a top 4 seed. I know how far back they are. They’ve also played an easy schedule relative to who they’ll be jockeying with, and have done the polar opposite of taking advantage of it. They dont have many cupcakes left.
— Brian Witt (@Wittnessed) January 23, 2023
Kyrie Irving over his last three games:
38 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds
48 points, 6 assists, 11 rebounds
30 points, 7 assists, 7 reboundsMade play after play down the stretch tonight in a huge Nets comeback win on the road over the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/utX7GkQ9vt
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) January 23, 2023
JoKu/Loon/DDV were great tonight.
Combined for 47pts 15 reb 8 assists
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) January 23, 2023
Klay/Wiggins 6/26 shooting..0/10 from 3
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) January 23, 2023
Gotta be close to 10 games now that the Warriors have just totally blown. Like sure-fire wins that they somehow manage to find a way to screw up. That’s like 20% of the games!
— Brian Witt (@Wittnessed) January 23, 2023
Story of their season… unable to stack wins.
Get a big win in Cleveland and come home to lose to Brooklyn.
In a game where they led by 17 in the 2Q… and by 12 in the 4Q
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) January 23, 2023
Nic Claxton is so good. What a comeback by the Nets.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) January 23, 2023
Only FG they made in final 5 mins was a Kuminga layup.
Steph/Klay 0/7 shooting during that stretch.
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) January 23, 2023
A huge win for the Nets. Came all the way back from down 17 on the road against the Warriors. Clutch shot by Royce O’Neale late. Kyrie and Claxton had big games. Jacque Vaughn just raced down the tunnel off the floor in celebration. A happy Nets traveling party near locker room.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) January 23, 2023
Another late game offensive meltdown for Golden State, 6 points in the last 5 minutes. Unlike against Boston they didn't get good looks down the stretch. Nets' switching defense flummoxed them.
— Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) January 23, 2023
The Golden State Warriors NEED to make a trade.
— Guru (@DrGuru_) January 23, 2023
Brutal loss for the Dubs.
— Bonta Hill (@BontaHill) January 23, 2023
Warriors lose another game that they should have won. Still stuck at .500. No end in sight
— Vignesh Venkataraman (@Viggyfresh) January 23, 2023
Nets 120, Warriors 116
Warriors were outscored 60-44 in the second half
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) January 23, 2023
Warriors led 110-98 with 5.5 mins remaining
Nets 20-6 run
Nets lead 118-116
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) January 23, 2023
