Why the Warriors Quickly Need to Snap Out of Their Recent Slump
After starting their season off with a very solid 9-6 record, the Golden State Warriors have had a disappointing week. Their losing streak extended to three games after they fell to the Portland Trail Blazers at home Friday night. To make matters worse, this defeat officially eliminated the Dubs from contention in the NBA Cup Knockout Stage. They now stand in the middle of a loaded Western Conference and have struggled to string together quality wins. Golden State is the only team not in form in the top eight, having the lone losing record in the teams’ last 10 games. They’ll have a few games they should win before their scheduled toughens, but they really can’t afford to waste these chances to get back on track.
To highlight a few performers, Deni Avdija must like something about playing against Steve Kerr’s team, and he enjoyed himself yet again. The former Wizard hurt the Warriors by equalling his previous point total of 26, and also added 13 assists for his fifth double-double of the season. Donovan Clingan posed problems last night and recorded a double-double himself, collecting 10 rebounds to go along with his 22 points. A few familiar flaws led to this defeat, such as the over-reliance on scoring from Stephen Curry, who amazed again with 38 points. Golden State got a nice contribution from Brandin Podziemski, and Jimmy Butler proved a steadily reliable option, but they can’t seem to get everyone clicking at once.
I believe that Friday’s contest set the Warriors back mentally as much as it did in the standings. This loss should scratch a few heads, because the statistics would suggest that the final result didn’t properly indicate who played better. Golden State had better shooting percentages in all categories, and also won the turnover battle, a typically Achilles’ heel for this team. The Warriors also had more steals, more points off turnovers, and more fast-break points, yet still lost. This now marks the second time in as many games Golden State has failed to solve Portland’s riddles, a team that probably won’t be in the playoff discussion by the end of the season.
Looking ahead, Kerr’s team probably needs to win two out of the next three games at a minimum, granted the weakness of their opponents. They would make a statement and gain confidence for themselves by also beating the Houston Rockets, but that tilt could really go either way. Starting in December, the Warriors will play seven straight games against teams with a winning record. This includes the NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the 11-6 Cleveland Cavaliers, and two games against the scorching-hot Phoenix Suns. They’ll need to stay competitive throughout that grueling stretch, and building some momentum to head into December is a task of the utmost importance. Otherwise, the team from the Bay might find themselves chasing a playoff spot like last season.
