SAN FRANCISCO -- With Gary Payton II and Moses Moody -- two players whose appearances usually come off the bench -- inserted into the starting lineup Sunday at Chase Center, the Warriors came out of the gates with intent and energy. If only the same were true for the fourth quarter.
The Warriors lost 107-101 to the Dallas Mavericks, a score that didn't seem possible after their 37-24 first quarter that was nearly flawless.
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The Warriors in the first quarter shot 58.3 percent from the field, 54.5 percent from 3-point range and turned the ball over only once. They also had 10 assists and five steals through the first 12 minutes.
After the first quarter, they led by 13 points and were outscored by 19 in the final three quarters. They led by 21 points in the third quarter but scored only 13 points in the fourth quarter, losing by six.
Steve Kerr before tip-off mentioned how Steph Curry had been embracing a more traditional point guard role with Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala out. After dropping 14 assists Thursday night, he had another double-double by handing out 10 against Dallas, even with Klay Thompson shelved due to "general illness." Curry led the Warriors with 27 points but was 3-for-10 from deep.
Mavs star Luka Doncic, while looking like he didn't want to be here at times, only had two assists and turned the ball over nine times. Well, he also scored 34 points and had 11 rebounds.
Golden State Warriors
Here are three takeaways as the Warriors dropped to 43-18 on the season. They'll face the Mavs again this upcoming Thursday for the final time this season and are now 1-2 against them thus far.
The Draymond Answer?
Green missed his 23rd straight game to a back injury Sunday. Enter, the 6-foot-3 Payton.
As long as Green remains out, there's a good chance that Payton will continue starting at power forward while guarding the opposing team's best offensive player at times. Payton is the defensive spark this Golden State squad needs, and his athleticism can't be missed. He played the cut-and-kick role on offense and has no problem finishing at the rim.
Though he noticeably was limping due to a left shin issue at times, Payton scored 13 points and was a plus-9.
More Moody
All season long, Jonathan Kuminga has been the talk of the town for the Warriors' two lottery picks. On Sunday it was Moody, the No. 14 pick in last year's draft, who had more of the spotlight.
Moody started his fifth game as a pro, and though he only scored five points, he also grabbed five rebounds and made positive contributions on both sides of the ball, finishing as a plus-15.
Kerr often refers to Moody as Golden State's most advanced rookie, including James Wiseman, who is yet to play a game in Year 2 as he inches closer to a return from knee surgery. Moody is a mature player, who should be able to turn into a sharpshooter from the floor. He also doesn't lack hustle.
The Arkansas product was all over the place when Kerr called his number, and he never shies away from diving and fighting for an extra possession. Moody doesn't turn 20 until May 31, and how he's used down the stretch will be interesting to watch.
Kuminga had some tough turnovers and fouls, missed a wide-open dunk and was a minus-14.
Ice-cold Poole
Instead of starting Jordan Poole in place of Klay, Kerr opted to go with the Moody. The rookie led the Warriors in plus-minus, and Poole provided essentially nothing.
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The third-year pro didn't make a single shot, going 0-for-7 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts. This has been a bizarrely odd year for Poole, and it doesn't get much worse than this one. He was a minus-12 and scored all four of his points from the free throw line.
Figuring out his role hasn't always been easy for Poole this season. He has to be better than what he showed against Dallas. Much, much better.