The Golden State Warriors suffered a home defeat against the Indiana Pacers, a game that holds more significance than just the loss itself. Looking ahead at the Warriors' upcoming opponents, they will face the Lakers, Clippers, Suns, Cavaliers, 76ers, Grizzlies, Kings, and Heat in succession. Given this lineup, the home game against the Pacers was almost a must-win for the Warriors, yet victory slipped away from them.
A 114-110 loss has left the Warriors restless. Losing at home to a team that isn't particularly strong is enough to disappoint fans. In contrast, the Clippers, despite being without their core leader and trailing by double digits on the road, managed a tough comeback to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies, who were second in the West with a relatively healthy roster, also with a score of 114-110. This comparison makes the Warriors' situation even more disheartening. In terms of record, the Warriors currently stand at 15 wins and 13 losses, ranking eighth in the West, but they only lead the eleventh-placed Phoenix Suns by 1.0 game. With the Warriors' challenging schedule continuing and ongoing issues with team cohesion, it wouldn't be surprising if they temporarily fell out of the top 10 in the West. Meanwhile, the Clippers have surpassed the Warriors in the standings with a record of 17 wins and 13 losses, creating a 1.0 game gap.
The management's trading efforts are far from sufficient! Comparing the two teams, the Clippers have the imminent return of Leonard, while the Warriors remain with Curry as the sole core, leading to different expectations. From another perspective, the Clippers have provided the Warriors with a blueprint for success. Under Harden's single-core leadership, they achieved a win rate of over 50%, and with the addition of Leonard, the Clippers could become contenders for the championship. This is similar to the Warriors' situation in 2022 when they missed the playoffs the previous season but had high hopes due to Klay's anticipated return. Although Klay's performance upon his return was not ideal, the anticipation gave confidence to both the fans and the team internally, igniting a surge of energy that ultimately led to the championship.
Moving forward, the Warriors' strategy is clear: they need to acquire a superstar capable of changing the team's fortunes and enhancing their strength, as initially planned. The trade that brought Dennis Schroder to the Warriors was unexpected. Recently, rumors have centered around targets like Cameron Johnson and Finney Smith. However, these potential acquisitions are merely drops in the bucket; they can't reverse the team's situation or bring them back into championship contention. The Warriors already have a deep roster and are not short of quality role players. In the last game against the Pacers, it was the bench players who helped close the gap and gave the team a chance.
Curry is bearing too much pressure! To put it bluntly, whether it's the previous trade for Schroder or the possibility of acquiring role players like Cameron Johnson in the future, these moves won't fundamentally solve the team's problems. The management's trading efforts are insufficient; what the Warriors need is a superstar with an influence comparable to Curry, such as Jimmy Butler, who is reportedly available from the Heat. They need a player who can change the game and help alleviate the pressure on Curry. The role players are not consistent enough and lack the necessary abilities. During this period, Curry has been under undue pressure. On the surface, he has shown signs of decline or even poor performance in recent games, but in reality, he has faced intense double-teaming from opponents in almost every game.
Take the Pacers as an example; they basically sent two players to chase and block Curry, even when he didn't have the ball, he was still heavily guarded. With the remaining three players stationed near the basket, the Warriors' offense would stall. Looking at the players around Curry—Schroder, Draymond Green, Trez Davis—they pose no threat from beyond the three-point line, and Wiggins' performance depends on his personal state. Any player facing such defense would struggle to perform, and Curry's slump reflects a significant responsibility that the Warriors' management must bear. Their inaction is disappointing.