SAN FRANCISCO — Late in the third quarter, after Josh Hart went coast-to-coast for a layup, Draymond Green’s inbounds pass hit an unsuspecting Trayce Jackson-Davis in the back of the head for a turnover.
If it wasn’t already clear it wasn’t the Warriors night, that moment made it certain.
The Warriors started slow and never led the short-handed Knicks. Miles McBride, who averages 6.5 points per game and had started nine career games before Monday, played 47 minutes and dropped a career-high 29 — including a dagger 3 over Draymond Green.
Jalen Brunson went off for 34 points and Josh Hart added a triple double, exacerbating Golden State’s season-long home woes. The Knicks, who don’t take nights off under coach Tom Thibodeau, knocked the Warriors (35-32) back down to the 10-seed with their 119-112 win.
“They took it to us,” Steve Kerr said postgame. “They were physical, they played with great force…We knew they were going to come in and play hard after we got them a couple weeks ago. That’s kind of their identity.”
Even without starters Julius Randle and OG Anunoby — plus center Mitchell Robinson, who’s out for the year — the Knicks brought it to the Warriors. Their 8-0 run to start the game was the biggest by a Warriors opponent this year. Golden State’s starting unit that has coalesced recently opened the night on a lifeless 3:54 scoring drought that included three turnovers.
Steph Curry, who passed Robert Parish for 30th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list during the first quarter, committed two of the Warriors’ five turnovers in the frame.
It certainly wasn’t the way Golden State hoped to open a three-game home stand against a trio of beatable opponents, with the Grizzlies and Pacers upcoming. Kerr said the slow start wasn’t for a lack of effort, but it was clear the Knicks were operating with on a different level of urgency.
“Coach said before the game that they’re going to come out here swinging, especially with the way we started last time we played,” said Trayce Jackson-Davis (18 points, nine rebounds). “And that’s exactly what they did.”
Kerr also told his team before the game that a goal for the rest of the way should be defending their home court. In a head-scratching, random trend, the Warriors are 17-18 in Chase Center a year after they went 33-8 in San Francisco. No Warrior has any theories as to explain the phenomenon.
“It’s just weird, it doesn’t really make sense,” Kerr said.
When the Warriors were flat, Jackson-Davis supplied energy. Three straight buckets from the rookie, including an alley-oop flush from Chris Paul, helped cut the Warriors’ deficit to single digits. But Miles McBride scored 18 points in as many minutes, keeping the Knicks in front.
Jackson-Davis and the Warriors bench unit stabilized the Warriors offense as Klay Thompson (season-high eight assists) facilitated and Chris Paul converted a quartet of jumpers. Gary Payton II injected defensive intensity, helping the Warriors limit New York to three points in the last three minutes of the half.
Any time Golden State threatened to make a run, the Knicks staved them off. When McBride hit a brief lull, Donte DiVincenzo heated up. Brunson got MVP chants from traveling Knicks fans at the free throw line.
Brunson drilled a 3 and then earned three free throws when Golden State cut the deficit to six. Despite Payton taking many of Andrew Wiggins’ minutes, Golden State struggled to get consistent stops until the fourth quarter. The Knicks knocked in four of eight 3-pointers to earn a 99-88 lead entering the fourth.
The Warriors ramped up the defense again to start the fourth, going on a 7-0 run. But the four-point deficit was as close as they’d get. In the waning seconds, McBride — who else — found himself wide open for a game-sealing slam.