Golden State veteran guard says the team owes Portland one after dropping all three meetings this season.
The Golden State Warriors (21-19) fell flat on Sunday night at Chase Center, losing 124-111 to the Atlanta Hawks (20-21) in a game where the team's stars carried the load but got little help from the rest of the roster.
Following the loss, Warriors guard Gary Payton II spoke with reporters and shared what the team needs to do moving forward, with a message about Tuesday's matchup against Portland.
Payton II Calls for Better Effort Against Blazers
When asked about what the Warriors can take from the Hawks loss heading into their next game, Payton kept it simple.
"You know, master energy and effort for 48 minutes," Payton said. "We haven't been the best against Portland this year, so we owe them one. So, just come out with energy and effort and, you know, match their intensity."
He is not wrong about the struggles against Portland.
The Warriors have dropped all three meetings with the Trail Blazers this season, including losses of 139-119, 127-123, and 136-131, so there is plenty of motivation to turn things around on Tuesday night at Chase Center.
Against the Hawks, Stephen Curry finished with 31 points and Jimmy Butler added 30, but De'Anthony Melton was the only other Warrior to reach double figures with 10 points.
The team shot just 10-for-42 from three-point range and could not find any answers against Atlanta's length, which featured 6-foot-7 Dyson Daniels and 6-foot-9 Jalen Johnson causing problems all night.
Favorable Schedule Ahead for Golden State
The good news for the Warriors is that they have a chance to right the ship during a home-heavy stretch.
Golden State plays 11 of their 16 January games at Chase Center, including the league's longest homestand of the season with eight straight games from January 7-20.
After Portland on Tuesday, the Warriors will host the New York Knicks on Thursday and the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, giving them a real chance to stack some wins and climb out of eighth place in the Western Conference.
The team will need Curry and Butler to keep carrying the scoring load while getting more help from their supporting cast, but as Payton said, it all starts with bringing the right energy and effort for a full 48 minutes.