The defending champion Golden State Warriors have been off to a rocky start to the 2022-23 NBA season. After their recent loss at the hands of the lowly Orlando Magic, they have surprised even the most optimistic of fans. The other couple of losses came against the Charlotte Hornets and the Detroit Pistons, two Eastern Conference teams that aren’t presumed contenders by any stretch of the imagination. Granted, we’re only two weeks into a six-month season, but there are lofty expectations for this Warriors team, who, just five months ago, were hoisting their fourth Larry O’Brien trophy in eight years.
Let Finals MVP Steph Curry explain it further. “There is frustration because we have a standard,” he told reporters following Tuesday’s 116-109 loss to the Miami Heat. “That’s good because we’ve had championship banners to show for it, but that uneasiness puts you in a position where you have to figure it out. I hope everybody is frustrated with the results, but the process is pretty solid.”
So, who is to blame for the recent Warriors struggles? And more importantly, how will they bounce back? Continue watching to find out.
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To say that this isn’t the start that the Dubs expected would be an understatement. As mentioned above, there are high expectations for this squad. Coming off a championship last year, the Warriors were able to retool in the offseason and secure two of their prized young stars in Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, signing both players to contract extensions. We’ve also seen what their other youngsters could do, with Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and former 2nd overall pick James Wiseman all gaining deep playoff experience and a chance to prove themselves this season. Add to that the uncertainty regarding the futures of core players Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and you have, on paper, a season that should bring the best out of everybody. A season that screams championship run from the get go.
Make no mistake, the Warriors were hot right out of the gate. During their first game against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dubs’ depth was on full display as they torched the Lakers 123-109, with 11 players all providing productive efforts in Head Coach Steve Kerr’s rotation. Their defense was on point as well, holding the Lakers to just 25 percent three-point shooting.
Fast forward to today, and that team that played the Lakers during the season opener seems like a different team altogether. Not only do the Warriors have a similar number of losses as the Lakers, they also have a worse net rating. Today’s Warriors squad is 24th in defensive rating according to NBA.com, a far cry from last season, where they finished 2nd. During their most recent defeat to Miami, there was a noticeable improvement in the defensive end. Throughout three quarters, the Dubs were the better team, and even held a 94-86 lead heading into the fourth quarter. So, what went wrong?
First off, turnovers.
In the Heat loss, they had a total of 20 turnovers, which Miami capitalized on and turned to 28 points. The Dubs committed six in the fourth quarter alone, and Coach Erik Spoelstra’s stifling zone defense sealed the victory for the Heat. “I give Miami credit, they stifled us in those last five minutes with their zone and they were super active in it,” Kerr said. “We’ve got to look at that. I expect we’ll see some more of that. Miami, we knew they were going to be competitive like they always are, but especially coming in at 2-5 and playing a home game.
The Warriors’ “two timeline” approach has also been met with mixed results so far. This is especially evident in Kuminga getting lost in the rotation, and him seemingly not being able to carve out any meaningful minutes. He’s played fewer minutes this year than his rookie season (10.8 mins per game), and has been benched twice this year.
Fret not however, as it is still a long season. Plus, the Warriors have been here before. Last year, the Warriors had stretches when they lost five of eight, another in which they lost nine of 11 and another in which they lost seven of eight. They didn’t panic then, and they shouldn’t now. The starting lineup is one of the most potent in the entire NBA, with a net rating of 27.5. One could chalk this up as a period of experimenting for Kerr, and he has pointed out that issues with defense and communication (1:06-1:12) are what dug this hole for the Dubs. (play link now) Who better to turn the ship around than someone who has done it before? Expect the Warriors to still be in the championship hunt come April.
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