Fans of the Golden State Warriors, who are the defending NBA champions and have high expectations for this year’s championship, are just baffled by what has happened to their club.
In what might be described as a very disappointing season for the team, the Golden State Warriors are only two games above .500 and are struggling on the defensive end of the floor. Despite having their championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Draymond Green back, the Warriors have been terribly inconsistent all season long and are shocking ranked 25th in the NBA in OPPG, proving they can’t defend anybody while offering the 11th best offensive rating in the league.
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Their record, as it currently stands, is average at 38-36. With the 6th seed in the West, nobody could have predicted such poor play at the start of the year. There is absolutely no way the Los Angeles Clippers battling non-stop injuries and inexperienced teams, such as the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, should be ahead of the Warriors in the standings. But that is the reality, and the Warriors have suffered a massive reality check in terms of the roster and their play on both ends of the court.
But that fact is true this season, meaning the Warriors are not being respected despite capturing four NBA titles in the “Stephen Curry era” and also coming off a terrific Finals run last year. So what is going wrong with the Warriors? How does a roster filled with championship experience continue to fail to deliver consistently against good teams and even bad teams? Here is what is going wrong for the reigning NBA champions Golden State Warriors this season.
Inconsistent Defense Due To Lack Of Size And Aggression
The Golden State Warriors have never looked this bad defensively. Despite having all their main guys on the team somewhat healthy, outside of Andrew Wiggins, the Warriors can’t seem to stop anybody. They are ranked 25th in OPPG, allowing 117.9 PPG from the opposition, which is an extremely high number. At the same time, the Warriors are ranked 19th in defensive rating, which is a signal of a below-average side. If it wasn’t for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson’s scoring (29.8 PPG and 22.0 PPG, respectively), the Warriors would have been a far worst team in the Western Conference.
Golden State’s primary issue is its defense, and size has been an issue. Only Kevon Looney is a capable big man at 6’9”, and he is slightly undersized when facing elite centers such as Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. James Wiseman had proved to be a flop so far with the Warriors, which is why he was moved before the trade deadline. No other player brings size for the Warriors, and Draymond Green, at 33 years old, is the team’s best defender. Stars such as Jordan Poole have not met the level on defense, and the Warriors are lacking true aggression on defense, which could come down to their lack of size and also the absence of Andrew Wiggins.
Andrew Wiggins’ Absence
Perhaps if Andrew Wiggins was healthy for the majority of the season, the Warriors might have a much better record. The team’s best perimeter defender and arguably the second-best player in the NBA Finals last year made the Golden State Warriors look like a slightly more formidable team when he’s been on the floor. Instead, last year’s Western Conference All-Star starter has only appeared in 37 games this year and has been his usual self on the stat sheet (17.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.3 APG on 39.6% 3-PT FG). Wiggins’ impact comes outside of the stat sheet, however, when he defends at an elite level and moves the ball quickly and efficiently.
It is expected that a 6’7” athletic wing who can defend multiple positions could have made a difference in multiple teams against sub-.500 teams that the Warriors have lost to without him. The Warriors’ defense has been putrid all year, and having Wiggins, who can defend all guards and even most forwards, as a small-ball power forward might have made a world of difference. It is never easy for a title contender to lose one of their top-three guys, and that is what has happened this year.
Chemistry Issues
NBA players are professionals and should never be distracted by contract issues and off-court situations. That simply isn’t the reality, however, as human beings will be put off from competing for a variety of factors. The first incident that comes to mind is the punch heard around the world when Draymond Green (the team’s leader) physically assaulted Jordan Poole at practice. The video was leaked, and while there are rumors that the Warriors might have leaked that, it just isn’t a great look.
As expected, Jordan Poole has struggled all season long as he is forcing the issue on offense after signing a max contract. Poole was supposed to be the team’s third-best player but instead is only shooting 42.5% from the field and 33.0% from three, below-average efficiency from a player who does not have to do everything for the team due to Curry and Klay’s impact. Draymond’s punch has to be weighing on Poole, and the interactions with Draymond have to be awkward. Having an assault like this happen and be publicized takes a massive toll on trust and team chemistry, and we have seen it all year in individual and team performances.
Contract Pressure
Contractual situations in the NBA greatly affect team chemistry, individual play, and motivation levels. That is the reality of professional sports because players are not going out there for the world to watch for free. They put in hard work every day and made the most competitive league in the world, and they want to be repaid for it. Contract issues might play a very important role in the Warriors’ season so far. For one, Jordan Poole was paid. He received a 4-year, $140 million extension that immediately placed him as a top-tier player with lofty expectations. However, Poole has seemingly struggled to live up to the hype.
He is nailing only 33.0% of his threes despite making 36.4% of them last year and is shooting the lowest field-goal percentage since his rookie campaign. Anyone who has watched Warriors games will realize that the shooting guard is forcing the issue offensively and is not in his groove. Draymond’s punch has something to do with it, but so does that max extension. Next, speaking of Draymond, he has not signed a deal yet. Green has admitted that the “writing is on the wall” for his Warriors’ future, and he might be playing every game to prove he belongs. That is not the best mindset to be competing in for a team that wants to return to the top.
Rather than feeling like the true leader of the team, Draymond might be fighting for his future in Golden State. Seeing Poole and Wiggins (4-year, $109 million) sign contracts might leave Green feeling annoyed, and that might have caused him to lash out in practice. To make matters probably worse, the head of the dynasty, Bob Myers, could be another key figure leaving the organization and that isn’t good news. Having a key player underperform due to contractual pressure and other important figures pondering their futures can greatly deter chemistry and title contention.
Lack Of Hunger
It is true that the Warriors are lacking size and team chemistry at the moment for a variety of issues, such as injuries and contractual issues, but the team is lacking hunger. It is physically taxing and mentally draining to win an NBA title, and the team might be unmotivated to do it all over again. Golden State was the third seed in the West last year and had to overcome some talented teams in the playoffs, including the Memphis Grizzlies, before reaching the Finals against a young and energetic Celtics team led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. In the end, the Warriors got it done due to their experience, but it wasn’t easy.
A team that wins it all needs to be supremely motivated to do it all over again. Grabbing a top-3 seed in the conference and gearing up for a long playoff run needs consistency, defense, and effort, things the Warriors have been lacking. Perhaps the Warriors have dealt with too many distractions to be motivated, or perhaps Steve Kerr and the management team haven’t pushed the right buttons. Stephen Curry will always be wanting that 5th NBA championship because he knows what that would mean for his career, but what about everyone else? Does Curry deserve blame for not rallying the troops enough when the supporting cast does not share his motivation? Whatever it is, Golden State has not competed in every game and lacks hunger. With the season winding down and the playoffs around the corner, the Warriors must tap into their motivation, and considering how they have been all year, it might be far too late.
Source: https://fadeawayworld.net
