Jimmy Butler’s third game with the Warriors? Yeah, not as smooth as the first two. Golden State ran into more trouble this time, a reminder that they’re still ironing things out. They had a shot at their first three-game win streak since Nov. 15, but the Mavericks—missing five rotation players—weren’t about to let that happen. Despite a furious comeback, the Warriors fell 111-107 on Wednesday at American Airlines Center.

The Warriors spent most of the night trying to claw their way back. Stephen Curry led the team with 25 points, and Butler added 21. Brandin Podziemski chipped in 16 off the bench, and Gary Payton II put up 14. The second unit actually played well—every reserve had a positive plus-minus. It was a starter who was the problem on Wednesday.

It was Buddy Hield. He had an abysmal night. A couple of moments stood out against the Mavs; Steph and even Draymond Green were visibly frustrated with Buddy Hield, reported John Dickinson of KNBR media station. Well, why wouldn’t Curry be?

The veteran sharpshooter struggled mightily in his 29 minutes on the floor, finishing with just three points on a brutal 1-for-9 shooting performance. He knocked down only one of his six attempts from deep, grabbed three rebounds, and picked up two fouls.

The numbers don’t get any prettier. Hield posted a true shooting percentage of just 16.7% and had the worst plus-minus on the team at -21. The shooting slump was glaring, and his impact on the game was minimal. What’s worse is that Steve Kerr didn’t even address it in the post-conference.

Well, maybe he had a lot on his mind after lashing out at the referees over a few question calls against the Mavs. Plus they play the Rockets on a back-to-back, so maybe he’s moving on to the next one because honestly, it was a very disappointing loss.

Stephen Curry misses a free throw in the fourth quarter for the first time this season

With the Warriors back at 0.500, it feels like they’re inching away from the playoffs. Seriously, they had every chance to win against a Mavericks team missing key players, but they blew it. Final score: 111-107. And get this—it was their 33rd clutch game this season.

Let’s talk about those last two minutes. Three missed shots, one blocked. Steph Curry, of all people, missed a critical free throw—his first in the fourth all season. Then Jimmy Butler III got called for an offensive foul on a drive that could’ve tied the game. But honestly, the Warriors shouldn’t have even been in that spot. They messed up way earlier.

For a team that prides itself on fundamentals, they were sloppy. Seven missed layups, six just in the second quarter. Against a Dallas squad without their big men, including Anthony Davis, that’s inexcusable. Sure, they scored 58% of their points in the paint, but those early mistakes kept Dallas in it.

Steve Kerr didn’t hold back: “We messed around with the game for too long and left ourselves vulnerable. They cashed in. Our poor play earlier cost us.” The Warriors had control but let it slip. If they miss the playoffs, this game will sting. You can’t afford to waste opportunities like this, especially in a tight race. They’ll be replaying this one in their heads all offseason.