The Golden State Warriors walked into Orlando with most players available, and Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler delivered a combined 67 points. Yet even with their two best players going off on the scoring chart, Golden State never got a grasp of the game before falling 121-113 to a better Magic squad.

A familiar pattern over the last few games came to light: excellent shot-making from Curry covering other issues, inconsistent support from role players, and poor post defense that led to too many points in the paint. This loss was far more than some Warriors players playing badly. Let’s focus on four major reasons Golden State let a very winnable game slip away, and explain how a night that featured two brilliant scoring performances still ended in defeat.

1. Orlando Dominated Inside: 64-46 Points In The Paint

The biggest problem was Golden State’s failure to control the inside. Orlando scored 64 points in the paint, far surpassing Golden State’s 46. Wendell Carter Jr. had 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Franz Wagner added 18 points and 8 boards, and the Warriors couldn’t stop them on the inside.

Tristan da Silva also contributed 15 points with strong drives from the baseline. With Jonathan Kuminga out again and Draymond Green carrying a heavy load on the defensive end, Golden State struggled to defend the rim. The Magic also grabbed 10 offensive rebounds.

Golden State’s big men, Al Horford (6 rebounds), Quinten Post (3), and Trayce Jackson-Davis (1), couldn’t keep up in terms of physicality. As a result, Orlando shot 51% from the field, despite making only eight three-pointers, because they spent most of the night attacking the rim.

2. 18 Warriors Turnovers Led To Too Many Points

Golden State’s offense was efficient on paper (50% FG, 36% from three), but far too often, they didn’t even attempt a shot. The Warriors committed 18 turnovers, allowing Orlando to score 21 points, many of which came in critical moments of the game. In contrast, Orlando took better care of the ball, turning it over only 14 times for 16 points.

Careless mistakes hurt at key moments. Stephen Curry had 5 turnovers, Jimmy Butler had 3, and the bench added several more errors, especially from Buddy Hield and Moses Moody in hurried half-court situations.

The Magic outscored Golden State 28-16 in fast-break points, turning Warriors mistakes into easy buckets. In a close game where Curry and Butler took over the scoring, the supporting cast didn’t do their jobs when it came to protecting the ball around them.

3. The Supporting Cast Was Completely Outplayed

The box score shows the truth: Curry (34 points) and Butler (33 points) scored 67 points together, while the rest of the team managed just 46 points on 14-of-39 shooting. Only Draymond Green (12 points, +9) gave steady production.

Moses Moody and Will Richard combined for only 12 points. Off the bench, no one reached double digits except Horford (9), and he needed 27 minutes to do so. In comparison, Orlando had six players score at least 13 points, while Anthony Black exploded for 21 off the bench, finishing +18 in his 33 minutes.

The Warriors couldn’t keep track of all of Orlando’s threats: Bane (23), Wagner (18), Carter (17), Suggs (13), da Silva (15). Overall, Golden State’s role players could not keep up with the opponent, and the lack of bench scoring stopped the Warriors from building momentum when Curry rested or went cold in the fourth quarter.

4. Curry’s Scoring Drought In The Fourth Quarter Was A Killer

After having a strong performance against Orlando for most of the night, Stephen Curry hit a wall at the worst moment. After his layup late in the third quarter, Curry didn’t score for nearly 12 minutes, during which Orlando extended their lead to 14 points.

He finally broke the silence with a 3-pointer with under four minutes left, but by then the Warriors were down 115-101, and the Magic were firmly in control. Curry still finished with 34 points on 12-of-23 shooting and 7-of-15 from three, but Golden State’s offense went dead when he stopped scoring or touched the ball less.

Especially with Kuminga out, no other Warriors struggled to generate offense during Curry’s slump. In contrast, Orlando kept scoring from various players, with Bane, Black, and Wagner effectively managing each possession in the fourth quarter. Curry’s unexpected drought was the nail of the coffin tonight.