The Golden State Warriors have struggled to open the 2022-23 NBA regular season, and the team is now preparing to be without MVP candidate Stephen Curry for multiple weeks at least. Curry suffered a shoulder injury earlier this week against the Pacers, and his timeline for a return is unclear.
At 14-15, the Warriors are clinging to the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament, but the Timberwolves, Lakers and Thunder are all within three games in the standings. Since Curry’s rookie season, the franchise has gone a dismal 67-133 in games he missed, and this is a team that has posted a 2-13 road record this season even with Curry playing at a high level.
According to Kendrick Perkins, the Warriors’ season is effectively over. For a team that has championship-or-bust aspirations every season, Perkins says that there’s no chance for the Warriors to turn things around and win a championship next summer.
“So when we say ‘are they finished,’ we know that they can get into the play-in tournament and make the postseason. We’re talking about the championship. Can they compete for a championship? Are they finished when it comes down to a championship? And the answer is hell yeah they are.
And I have no hope…. Here’s the thing. I don’t trust the Warriors’ depth. I don’t trust their bench. They lost too many pieces that contributed last season off the bench that helped them with their title run. Moses Moody has been nonexistent. Jonathan Kuminga, Steve Kerr don’t really trust him with his IQ. And we see where James Wiseman is right now, he’s down there in the G League.”
