Don’t look now, but the Golden State Warriors have the second most losses in the Western Conference with 6. Only the Houston Rockets have more with 8.
They currently sit at 12th in the West and, through 9 games, don’t resemble anything close to the team that won a championship just four months ago. Things just haven’t worked so far this season.
People will probably point to the chemistry issues that were presented with the altercation between Jordan Poole and Draymond Green, but it’s not that. Not even close.
The real issue at hand is the thing that the Warriors touted so heavily coming into the season. It’s their ambitious “two timeline” plan — the thought that they can compete for a championship with their superstars now with Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson while building a core for their future behind Jordan Poole, James Wiseman and the rest of their young players.
It’s an aspirational plan, to be sure. It’s something no team has really ever been able to pull off throughout the league’s history, though many have tried. And, look, the Warriors won a title just last season. They’ve had success.
But right now? Boy, that plan isn’t going too well.
The Warriors stars are playing fine basketball. Curry looks like a legitimate MVP candidate, averaging a shade over 31 points per game on the year. Draymond Green has been solid defensively and more aggressive offensively. Klay Thompson looks like he’s getting his legs back and both Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins are seamless fits alongside them.
Here’s how good their starters have been. Of all lineups in the NBA that have played at least 70 minutes together, the Warriors’ starters are the second best in the NBA with a net rating of +24.1 behind the Milwaukee Bucks’ starters.
But their bench — filled with the youth that is supposed to carry the next generation — is failing them tremendously.
Here’s what that looked like in their 130-129 loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday.
That’s an 0-3 open to this road trip for the reeling Warriors. Losses in Charlotte, Detroit, Miami. They’re 3-5.
*Plus/minus for the five GSW starters tonight: +3, +6, +7, +8, +11
*Plus/minus for the five GSW bench players tonight: -23, -22, -9, -8, -8
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 2, 2022
They played Jordan Poole, Ty Jerome, JaMychal Green, James Wiseman and Moses Moody off the bench in that game. Not a single one of them were a net positive all night.
Yes, this is indicative of a bench problem. But the far greater problem here is that it just doesn’t really look like any of the Warriors’ young players are ready to take the next step.
Wiseman has been inconsistent, at best, this season. Jonathan Kuminga is registering DNP after DNP. Jordan Poole hasn’t been the spark plug he was for the Warriors last year. And, while Moses Moody has been solid, nobody is expecting him to make game-changing plays consistently.
This is the Warriors’ conundrum. Do they continue to trust their young core with their bench? Or do they lean more heavily on their veterans to carry them with different lineup mixes?
The solution remains to be seen, but Steve Kerr is trying to figure it out.
Steve Kerr reiterated that is bench rotation is changing moving forward: “We’ve had a look at a few different combos. It’s time to get a look at a few more.”
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 4, 2022
He’d better work quickly, though. The season is a marathon, sure. But falling behind fast might mean not catching up. And that’s not a good look for any team trying to defend a title.
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