Klay Thompson calls leaving Malik Beasley open for 3 a ‘dreadful mistake’ in Warriors’ loss
SALT LAKE CITY — Klay Thompson knew what he had done as soon as the ball soared toward a wide-open Malik Beasley Wednesday night.
Thompson made a costly error on defense late in the Warriors’ chaotic 124-123 loss to the Utah Jazz.
The Warriors overcame a 12-point deficit and owned a four-point advantage with 13 seconds left in regulation. Thompson was on Beasley when the Jazz inbounded the ball but he made a mental lapse and got caught watching ball handler Nickeil Alexander-Walker drive toward the basket.
With Thompson in no-man’s land, Beasley put his hands in the air, signaling to Alexander-Walker to send the ball his way. That’s exactly what the Jazz guard did.
Beasley drilled the open 3 that made it a one-point game with about seven seconds left. On the next play, Jordan Poole turned the ball over, and Beasley found Simone Fontecchio for a go-ahead dunk a second before the final horn.
After the wild ending, coach Steve Kerr seemed more upset by Beasley’s triple than the game-winning basket.
“Can’t leave a 3-point shooter, up four with six seconds left, when the game plan is to not give up 3s,” Kerr said. “We relaxed, we give up a 3.”
Thompson acknowledged his mistake after the game.
“I just fell asleep,” said Thompson, who finished with 22 points on 25 shots. “I watched the ball handler get to the rim rather [than] sticking on a 3-point shooter. That was a dreadful mistake by myself.”
Beasley went 4-for-9 from 3-point land and finished with 18 points. Meanwhile, the Jazz, one of the better 3-point shooting teams in the league, collectively shot 15-for-35 from deep.
The Warriors dropped to 2-11 on the road and 13-13 on the season. They’ll return home to host the Boston Celtics Saturday.
“You learn from it,” Kerr said. “You watch the [film,] see what you need to do better.”