The Golden State Warriors’ early-season momentum came to a crashing halt Saturday night, as they fell 114-109 to an injury-depleted Indiana Pacers team — their second straight defeat following a 4–1 start.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn’t mince words after the game, calling out his team’s “lack of focus” during what he believed were two very winnable games. Franchise cornerstone Stephen Curry took it a step further — placing the blame squarely on his own shoulders.
Curry Admits Responsibility After Warriors Collapse
“This is one of those games where you just look in the mirror,” Curry said. “There were parts of the game where I made it too hard on all of us — not getting organized, bad possessions, a little lack of energy. You give a team like that life … it’s just one of those games where you’ve got to play better throughout the meat of the game, so that you give yourself that breathing room where a couple shots here and there don’t determine the outcome.”
Curry finished with 24 points but endured his worst shooting night of the season, missing 15 of 23 attempts (34.8%) and committing a game-high five turnovers for the second consecutive outing. His minus-21 plus-minus was also the lowest of any Warrior on the floor.
Kerr Frustrated With Warriors’ Lack of Discipline
Kerr’s frustration boiled over as he reflected on the team’s inability to take care of business against shorthanded opponents.
“We know the West is loaded and it feels like we just gave away two games,” Kerr said. “If we are locked in and focused and playing the way we know we can, we should have won them. It’s the same thing the last three years — one or two games end up making a huge difference at the end of the season.”
Curry Outlines What Must Change
After acknowledging his role in the team’s recent struggles, Curry delivered a candid assessment of what needs to change — starting with himself.
“Just be professional,” he said. “Understand what you need to do to get your body and mind ready to bring your best self. That’s where, as veterans — and I include myself — you have to demonstrate that and execute it.”
He added that being mentally sharp is just as crucial as being physically dominant:
“Even if you don’t have it physically at a 10 out of 10, you need to control a game with your mind. Sometimes we just make things harder for no reason. You have to answer the call by watching film, understanding how the league is evolving, how fast teams are playing, and making the necessary adjustments.”
Warriors Stunned by Shorthanded Pacers
The Pacers were without four key players — Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), Obi Toppin (foot), Bennedict Mathurin (foot), and Andrew Nembhard (shoulder) — yet still dominated late behind breakout performances from Aaron Nesmith and Quenton Jackson.
Nesmith poured in 31 points on 5-of-11 three-point shooting, while Jackson, a two-way contract player, erupted for a career-high 25 points and 10 assists. All-Star forward Pascal Siakam added 27 points.
Their backcourt outplayed the Warriors’ guards for the second straight game — following ex-Warrior Ryan Rollins’ 32-point revenge performance against Golden State earlier in the week.
“Everything went wrong,” Kerr said. “We didn’t execute on offense, we didn’t execute on defense. We fouled, we turned it over, we didn’t deserve it. (The Pacers) played great.”
Curry Vows Warriors Will Bounce Back
Despite his visible frustration, Curry remained optimistic that the Warriors’ defensive lapses and lack of urgency are temporary.
“It will be fixed for sure,” he said.
Golden State (4–3) will look to regain its rhythm when it returns home to face the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday before playing eight of its next nine games on the road — hoping that Curry’s accountability sparks the response Kerr is demanding.
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