This season of the NBA can truly be described as a display of diverse talents and unexpected developments! As the season progresses, both the Thunder in the West and the Cavaliers in the East have consistently shown dominant performances, maintaining their positions as leaders. The Thunder have achieved a remarkable 12-game winning streak, with a record of 27 wins and 5 losses, securing the top spot in the West with a five-game lead over the second-place team. Similarly, the Cavaliers in the East have been steadily winning games, demonstrating their dominance with a record of 29 wins and 4 losses, leading the second-place Celtics by five games. The Thunder and Cavaliers represent the epitome of stability this season.
However, there are also teams within the league that started poorly but managed to turn things around later in the season. Notable examples include the Grizzlies and Mavericks from the West, as well as the Bucks and 76ers from the East. These teams did not perform well at the beginning of the season; the Bucks and 76ers were even ranked at the bottom of the Eastern Conference for an extended period. But in the past month or so, they have rediscovered their winning ways. In their last 19 games, the Bucks have won 14, propelling them to fifth place in the East. The 76ers have won 10 out of their last 13 games, moving up from last place in the East to eleventh. They are the epitome of teams that started slow but picked up momentum later.
On the other hand, there are teams like the Suns and Warriors, who initially shone brightly but then faded. Both teams had impressive starts to the season, leading fans to believe they had championship potential. However, they quickly fell from the top spot in the West to tenth place within just over a month, now engaged in a battle for the top ten. Other teams such as the Kings, Pacers, and Pelicans have underperformed, while the Grizzlies, Rockets, Clippers, and Magic have exceeded expectations. This season has seen many surprises, and today we will focus on the Golden State Warriors!
Starting from October 30th, when they lost to the Spurs, the Warriors only took 33 days to plummet from first place in the West to their current tenth position!
Hield joined the Golden State Warriors with a four-year, $37.76 million contract during the offseason. Initially, he performed far beyond the value of his contract. In the season opener, Hield played 14 minutes, shooting 12 for 8 and scoring 22 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists efficiently. In the second game against the Jazz, he played only 19 minutes and 55 seconds, shooting 14 for 10, including 9 for 7 from three-point range, without any free throws, totaling 27 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal, with a plus-minus of +24! In the fourth game of the season, he played 28 minutes, shooting 18 for 9 and scoring 28 points with 1 rebound and 1 assist. In the fifth game, he shot 19 for 8 and scored 31 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. In the sixth game, he continued to score 27 points with 2 rebounds and 7 assists. After the first thirteen games of the season, Hield remained the top scorer for the Warriors, helping the team achieve a good record of 12 wins and 3 losses, once reaching the top of the West. It was at this point that Kerr stepped in, continuously adjusting the lineup and player playing time not for the sake of winning but for experimentation. Despite a losing streak, Kerr persisted in using an extended rotation, eventually undermining Hield's early-season form. Following the 18-point comeback loss to the Spurs, the team continued to lose, with Kerr trying different starting lineups each game, effectively wearing down the players. In his last four games, Hield could only average 4 points, having been completely worn out!
A similar situation occurred with Bjelica, who had an outstanding rookie season last year, averaging 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, with shooting percentages of 45.5/38.5/63.3%. However, this season, amidst constant lineup changes, he produced subpar statistics of 8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, with shooting percentages of 40.4/29.5/73.3%. Due to the lack of stable playing time and being shuffled between starting and bench roles, it is challenging for any player to maintain good form under such circumstances.
The same issue arose for Looney, who the Warriors signed for an annual salary of 8 million during the offseason. Looney has proven that he can positively impact the game whenever he plays, making him the ideal substitute for Draymond Green from any perspective. Although his playing time was inconsistent at the start of the season, he at least received playing time in every game, often producing peak Draymond-like stats. The Warriors' initial winning streak kept many issues under wraps. However, as the team continued to lose, more problems surfaced. In his last five games, Looney started in one and was benched in four, indicating that he too has been worn out by Kerr's tactics!
Even Curry, the star player of the Warriors, has experienced unprecedented fluctuations this season. Throughout his career, aside from injuries, Curry has never shown such significant ups and downs, even recording a dismal 0 for 7 in some games, alternating between brilliant and mediocre performances. Alarmingly, Curry has been observed on multiple occasions watching his team get dominated on the court without responding. In the second game against the Cavaliers, the Warriors relied on their tenacious defense to keep up with the Cavaliers in the first half. However, the Cavaliers went on a scoring spree in the third quarter, extending their lead to over 15 points in just four minutes, with players like Mitchell and Garland stepping up to take control of the game. In contrast, Curry appeared dispirited, failing to attempt a single shot during those crucial minutes, suggesting that he too has been worn out by Kerr's tactics. It is unprecedented to see such drastic fluctuations from a superstar!
In summary, under Kerr's leadership this season, the Warriors have effectively worn out four key rotational players: Curry, Hield, Looney, and Bjelica. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Warriors are the most wasted team this season!
As fans of the Warriors know, when Curry lacks the support of Klay Thompson, he fails to make it to the playoffs. Conversely, in seasons where Curry made it to the playoffs, Klay was always by his side. After Klay suffered a season-ending injury in the 2019 Finals, Curry did not make it to the playoffs in the following season. The next season, while Klay was recovering from his injury and playing intermittently, the Warriors still failed to reach the playoffs. Fast forward to this season, with Klay joining the European duo in Dallas, the Warriors are currently mired in difficulties. Based on their current performance, it is not just about making the playoffs; even qualifying for the play-in tournament seems like a stretch. The Warriors currently lack both offensive and defensive prowess, and Curry is unable to lead the team to victory with god-tier performances like Jokic. Unless the Warriors make significant trades before the trade deadline and Kerr abandons his stubborn coaching philosophy, the "Klay Rule" is set to be proven true again. Without Klay, Curry will not make it to the playoffs!
Kuminga has recently been performing well, but he can no longer tolerate Kerr's personnel strategies! Reports suggest that due to dissatisfaction with Kerr's use of players, Kuminga even engaged in a physical altercation with Kerr at one point. No player wants to play in an environment of endless experimentation. Do you think the Warriors still have a chance this season? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments!