Stephen Curry-less Warriors struggle, lose to Mavs

But interim head coach Luke Walton, who is now saddled with filling the gaping hole left by the league’s MVP, said the only relief would have been a medical report declaring Curry healthy and available to play against Dallas on Wednesday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors took the floor in prime-time on Christmas Day to play the first game these two teams have played against one another since the Warriors beat Cleveland the NBA Finals.

“I got exhausted of missing”, Curry said, smiling after walking around gingerly after Monday night’s game and being vague about what was ailing him – but saying it definitely wasn’t his previously strained right calf.

The most-recent injury occurred during a win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday that boosted the Warriors’ record to 29-1 – the best in National Basketball Association history over a team’s first 30 games of a season. Backup guard Leandro Barbosa also is out Wednesday because of a sprained left shoulder.

IN snapped Atlanta’s six-game winning streak, as Monta Ellis scored 26 points to lead the Pacers to a 93-87 win.

Casspi scored four triples to Curry’s five, with the two combining for 29 of the game’s 31 points during that stretch. Although they are a better team against these opponents, it doesn’t always result in wins.

Curry finished with 23 points. Yup, Casspi had 21 points on 7-of-7 shooting – 6-of-6 from 3-point range.

Curry’s second quarter outburst, which saw him and Kings forward Omri Casspi (36 points, nine of 12 three-pointers) engage in a shot-for-shot shootout, didn’t have the Warriors’ star too excited post game as he was more frustrated his earlier shots hadn’t dropped as he was scoreless until that run.

The Warriors are listing Curry as day-to-day.

Both the Warriors and the Mavericks have banged up point guards headed into Wednesday’s meeting, even if only one of them is the reigning league MVP.

The great health enjoyed by the Warriors through most of last season clearly has taken a turn for the worse. “It’s got to be ‘We are going to do this”. Wesley Matthews led the way with 22 points for Dallas.

Cheered in pre-game introductions – then booed when he touched the ball – the 37-year-old veteran came away with more emotional memories from his last appearance at the Celtics’ TD Garden before he retires at the end of the season.

Warriors: Coach Steve Kerr, out all season after complications from back surgery, made the trip to see how his back would hold up.

Draymond Green (sore ankle) and Festus Ezeli (sore right foot) were among those who did not practice, as only eight Warriors chose to do so.