The Golden State Warriors have officially announced that their substitute core player, De'Anthony Melton, who was signed during the offseason for an annual salary of $1282, successfully underwent knee surgery in Los Angeles on Wednesday, local time in the United States, and is expected to fully recover before the next season. This means that Melton will not be able to play for the rest of this season, effectively ending his season. It's really frustrating when athletes get injured. For example, there's a player in the domestic CBA named Xiao Li who is also a strong substitute core. He unfortunately got injured before an important game, with the same issue affecting his knee. The team and fans were very concerned as it had a significant impact on the team. After undergoing surgery, it took him a long time to recover, and he couldn't participate in the games for that season. This situation is similar to that of De'Anthony Melton of the Warriors, where athletes face difficulties not only for themselves but also for their teams once they get injured.
After the loss of De'Anthony Melton, the Warriors' record has been greatly affected. Before Melton's injury, the Warriors were performing exceptionally well, achieving a record of 9 wins and 2 losses, once leading the Western Conference. However, since his injury, the team's performance has declined, with a record of 3 wins and 6 losses, dropping to seventh place in the West, barely making it into the playoff qualification zone. Moreover, the upcoming schedule is tough, as the Warriors will face the Rockets, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Pacers, Lakers, Clippers, Suns, and Cavaliers throughout December. The schedule is challenging, and if things don't improve, the Warriors could experience a losing streak. Taking the example of the Guangdong team in the CBA, which previously had a key player get injured, resulting in a sharp decline in their record. Initially, they were playing smoothly and ranked high, but once the key player was injured, the team seemed to lose its backbone, making the games difficult and their performance significantly worse. This is quite similar to the current situation of the Warriors, where the absence of a key player has had a tremendous impact on the team.
The current state of the Warriors is mainly due to the failure of young players like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Ponds to step up in the absence of De'Anthony Melton. The team is indeed facing an uncertain future without Melton, as the young players like Kuminga and Ponds have not been able to take on the responsibility in time. It's like when the mainstay of a team leaves, others need to step up quickly, but they failed to do so. Let's take the example of Xiao Wang's basketball team, where there was a strong player named Xiao Li who played a crucial role in the team. One day, Xiao Li got injured and couldn't play, and at this point, other players should have worked harder, but several young players like Xiao Zhang and Xiao Zhao didn't seize the opportunity, failing to grab rebounds and score goals, leading to a decline in the team's performance. This is quite similar to the situation of the Warriors, where after the absence of a key figure, the young players didn't perform well, affecting the overall performance of the team.
Yesterday, after the Warriors lost 119-115 to the Denver Nuggets, head coach Steve Kerr severely criticized guard Brandin Ponds. Why was Kerr so angry? It's because Ponds was too careless in his play! Imagine how important the game is, and a small mistake could lead to a loss. It's like a neighborhood basketball tournament where a young man, let's call him Xiao Li, actually has decent skills but sometimes gets carried away and makes mistakes. In one game, an opponent dribbled the ball over, and Xiao Li didn't make a careful judgment, committing a foul and giving the opponent a free throw opportunity. Ponds of the Warriors is just like Xiao Li, blindly fouling, causing trouble for his own team! How could Kerr not be angry? When asked about Ponds' performance after the game, Kerr directly said, "He can't be that kind of player; he shouldn't blindly foul."
Kerr's comments highlighted the team's dissatisfaction with Ponds, which has become more pronounced this year. According to American media reporter Joseph Kallan, the Golden State Warriors management and head coach Kerr are particularly regretful for not trading Ponds for Paul George or Lauri Markkanen during the offseason. This kind of situation is not uncommon in the sports world. Take a domestic basketball team as an example, where there was a young player named Xiao Li who initially had high expectations from everyone, but later his performance was not up to par. At this point, the management thought that if they had traded Xiao Li earlier for a more capable player, it would have been better. For instance, trading for a versatile player like Lao Zhang or an accurate shooter like Lao Wang could potentially elevate the team's strength to a new level. However, due to the delay in making this trade, the team's performance was affected, leaving both the management and the coaching staff filled with regret.
Coach Kerr of the Warriors once said during the offseason that Ponds is the future of the team and the face of the post-Curry era. However, Ponds' performance has been underwhelming. As Curry's substitute, he has played 19 games, averaging only 8.0 points and 3.5 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. Look at these statistics: a shooting percentage of only 39.0%, and a three-point shooting percentage of a meager 20.6%. Compared to his rookie season, his efficiency has significantly dropped! It's like a talented young basketball player in our village who everyone had high hopes for, thinking he could shine on the court. But in the end, his performance was poor, with inaccurate shots and few assists, leaving everyone's expectations unmet. Ponds is just like this young player, failing to meet everyone's expectations. Due to such performances by Ponds, Kerr had no choice but to rely more on Gary Payton II and Moses Moody to provide firepower off the bench for the team.
Another reason for the Warriors' five-game losing streak is Kuminga's poor performance. Last season, Kuminga made significant progress, averaging 16.1 points, ranking third in the team, just behind Curry and Thompson. But this season, he is only averaging 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 23.1 minutes per game. Look at these stats: his shooting percentage has dropped from 52.9% last season to 43.7%, his three-point shooting percentage has decreased from 32.1% to 29.7%, and even his free-throw percentage has fallen from 74.6% to 59.2%. The Warriors originally hoped he could become the second-leading scorer after Curry, but now Andrew Wiggins and Buddy Hield are scoring more than him. Let me give you an example: take Xiao Wang from our neighborhood basketball team. His previous performance was quite outstanding, and everyone thought he could become the main scorer for the team. But recently, his state has sharply declined. Originally, his shots were accurate, but now he frequently misses, and his free throws are off. Everyone originally had high hopes for him, but now other players in the team are scoring more than him, isn't this situation similar to Kuminga's?
Due to their poor performances, some fans are calling for the Warriors management to trade both of them. When players perform poorly, it's normal for fans to get anxious. It's like Xiao Wang and Xiao Li from our neighborhood basketball team, who were in poor form on the court, making various mistakes and missing shots. The fans were very dissatisfied and called for the team to replace them. This is quite similar to the situation with the two Warriors players, where their poor performances have led fans to hope that the management will take action to trade them away in exchange for more capable players to enhance the team's overall level.
As the team's record continues to decline, the possibility of the Warriors making a trade is increasing. The Warriors, whose current record is not good, want to change the situation through trades. In fact, they have quite a few players who could be traded. For example, Kuminga, who has good physical qualities, might develop better if he went to a place more suitable for him. Just like a young player from the CBA who initially didn't have many opportunities with his team but later, after being traded to another team, made remarkable progress! There are also Ponds, Wiggins, Moody, and Tracy Jackson Davis, all of whom have their own characteristics and potential. If they could find a more suitable environment through trades, it would be beneficial for both themselves and the team. Additionally, the Warriors also have future draft picks, which are valuable assets.
The news that the Warriors have acquired Zach LaVine is incredibly exciting! With Zach LaVine joining the Warriors, their strength is sure to reach new heights. In basketball games, an excellent player can bring about significant changes to the team! Just like Zhu Fangyu from the CBA's Guangdong team in the past, his skills were top-notch. His performance on the court was outstanding, helping Guangdong win many championships. Zach LaVine's abilities are also not to be underestimated, and his addition might enable the Warriors to shine on the court like the Guangdong team did in the past, achieving even better results.
LaVine is a seasoned veteran with 11 years of NBA experience and has been selected twice for the All-Star Game. Although he is 29 years old, he is truly a gifted scorer. This season, he averages 21
