What is going on with the Golden State Warriors?
Spending most of this season as the Western Conference’s second-best team, the Warriors have lost five-straight games. Managing victories in just two of their last ten contests, Golden State now holds the three-seed. If it weren’t for Memphis’s recent struggles, they would likely face the task of a more significant deficit looking to recapture the two-spot.
In reality, seeding means little to Golden State. If they are firing on all cylinders and healthy, the team is a threat to win the West no matter the seed they inhabit. Unfortunately, as of now, they are neither.
There are multiple reasons the Warriors are struggling to win games during the regular season’s home stretch. Let’s do our best to unpack the most important ones.
Draymond Green’s Absence
It makes sense to begin our journey with the most apparent reason behind the Warriors’ woes. Golden State desperately misses Draymond Green in the lineup.
Sidelined since early January with a lower-back injury, no one matches the versatility and effectiveness that Green brings to the court. On his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” the forward exclaimed that he is targeting March 14th as his return date. Golden State takes on the Washington Wizards that day.
If March 14th is indeed the day of Green’s return, he will have close to a month to work out the kinks before the playoffs begin. That is the true goal of the organization. If the Warriors get a healthy Draymond for the playoffs, people start forgetting about the regular season and only focus on that Golden State is once again a postseason threat.
Klay’s Not Klay
Continuing the topic of Golden State missing vital pieces of its core, Klay Thompson’s absence or ineffectiveness has placed the Warriors in a compromising position, especially without Green.
It’s unfair to blame Thompson for his dip in play. It also should have been expected. Due to severe injuries, he missed the 2019-20 (knee) and 2020-21 season (Achilles). Even in his return this season, Thompson still needs games off for rest, including Monday’s loss to Denver. Still, not having Klay available playing like the Klay of old takes a hit on Golden State’s depth and ability to maintain pace with opponents.
Like Green, the Warriors’ goal for Thompson involves his ability to execute in the postseason. Again, if they can get Thompson back to the player he once was (or at least close), they are poised to make noise in the playoffs. Unfortunately, big questions exist with whether that is possible.
Inability to Close-out Games
Recently, no lead is a comfortable lead for Golden State. Over this latest stretch of losing and underperforming, the Warriors are failing to close the door on opponents, coughing up leads, and folding before the final buzzer sounds.
Of course, there are plenty of reasons why this is happening. However, the biggest involves certain players taking on more prominent roles than they are capable of holding. Golden State’s depth is constantly tested due to injury or individuals not living up to expectations (looking at you, Andrew Wiggins).
As games reach the final quarter, one can witness the Warriors losing gas. Whenever a team has to rely on multiple players to overperform, this is bound to happen. Unfortunately, this is something that won’t disappear. Even in the playoffs, Golden State’s depth will be tested.
Here’s to betting they wished they approached the trade deadline differently.
Warriors Panic Meter
Golden State is on a downward trend. Of course, this causes alarm so close to the end of the season. At the same time, the Warriors are playoff-bound no matter what happens the rest of the way. They may not possess the two-seed, but this team is not concerned with where they finish in the regular season. For them, it is all the postseason.
At full-health, this is a team with loads of playoff experience. When healthy, this is a team many people vision making a deep run. Unfortunately, health is a significant concern for Golden State. There is no guarantee that Draymond Green or Klay Thompson will operate at a level that moves this team forward.
In terms of panic level, nobody should panic about Golden State making the playoffs. I would say they do not need to panic about winning the first round either. However, going any further than that could be in real jeopardy.
The Road Ahead
According to Tankathon.com, Golden State possesses the ninth-most tricky remaining schedule. With 17 games left, the Warriors still play Phoenix, Miami, Memphis, Utah, Milwaukee, and Denver. None of these games will be easy, and Golden State needs to change how they are playing to secure victories against these teams.
Luckily, some easier matchups also exist. They will take on the Spurs and Wizards twice, and Orlando, Sacramento, New Orleans, and the Lakers one more time.
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