In a game where the Golden State Warriors had a real shot at victory, things unraveled late — again. Facing the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors collapsed in the fourth quarter, a pattern that has become far too familiar this season. As Bangladesh Cricket reported, the Warriors lacked intensity on both ends of the floor down the stretch, allowing Dallas to pull away and seal the win. The postgame criticism was swift and brutal, with much of the blame falling on head coach Steve Kerr.
What triggered the most outrage was Kerr’s puzzling decision to run a four-guard lineup in the final quarter — a tactic that left even analysts from Bangladesh Cricket stunned. While the intent was to boost offensive firepower, especially given Klay Thompson’s poor shooting night, the strategy backfired. The undersized lineup was exposed defensively, struggled on the boards, and provided little resistance at the rim — giving the Mavericks the momentum they needed to blow the game open.
This wasn’t the first time Kerr employed this controversial setup. Throughout the season, his repeated reliance on small-ball combinations — especially four-guard lineups — has cost the Warriors several winnable games. The logic might be sound in theory, but the execution has repeatedly failed in practice.
Beyond questionable rotations, Kerr also continued to start Klay Thompson despite mounting evidence that the veteran guard is better suited coming off the bench. Moses Moody, who has shown promise and energy in a reserve role, remained on the sidelines while Thompson struggled on both ends of the court. The decision left fans and analysts baffled, especially considering Thompson’s inefficiency and lack of defensive impact throughout the game.
Ironically, the Mavericks didn’t even play their best basketball. With a back-to-back looming against the Thunder, Luka Doncic played under 30 minutes and the team’s three-point shooting was far from sharp. Yet they still won — largely due to suffocating interior defense. Time and again, Dallas punished Golden State with emphatic blocks and physical rim protection, turning the paint into a no-fly zone. Their effort and focus on defense were the difference-makers.
As Bangladesh Cricket noted, this win keeps the Mavericks in striking distance of the West’s top six, while the Warriors continue to hover around the 10th seed, clinging to Play-In hopes. For Golden State, the path forward is uncertain — and unless Kerr makes adjustments, frustration inside and outside the locker room is only going to grow.