Subscribe
Follow Us
The Golden State Warriors were expected to raise their play even higher this season after winning the 2021-22 NBA title. Instead, the Warriors have stumbled along to a 14-15 start, placing them in 10th place in the Western Conference. To make matters worse, Stephen Curry is expected to miss several weeks because of a shoulder injury he sustained while reaching down to strip the ball from Indiana Pacers big man Jalen Smith.
With a 2-13 record on the road and that 14-15 record overall, Golden State is in deep trouble due to the extended absence of Curry. It has been obvious that he is carrying this team, so other guys must step up for the Warriors to make not only the playoffs but even just the play-in tournament. They're currently two games behind the sixth-seeded Sacramento Kings and a half-game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While things are looking dire for the Dubs right now, especially with a long road trip staring them in the face, there are some reasons to believe they will still be playing postseason basketball.
Reliable Warriors core
Okay, let's get this out of the way: the Warriors have consistently been great with Stephen Curry on the court and not-so-great when he's on the bench. The Warriors are +1,587 with Curry on the court and -509 with him off the floor over the last four full seasons, according to Tom Haberstroh. This season alone, the Dubs are +145 with Curry on and -127 with him off.
The massive difference is concerning, but NBA pundits must remember that Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole are capable of producing terrific numbers. With Curry out, the shots will be mainly distributed across these three guys, so they must keep the Warriors afloat, along with Draymond Green doing his Swiss Army Knife act on both ends of the floor. With Wiggins still recovering from an adductor strain, this is the perfect timing for Poole and Thompson to silence their doubters.
Poole signed a gigantic $140 million contract extension in the offseason, but he has not been living up to that billing this year. For Thompson, he is continuing to gain the confidence and rhythm that he missed for two seasons. After a terrible start to the season, Thompson's production has gone up.
Article Continues Below
This is a championship group led by a championship head coach that must dig deep with Curry out for a bit. It will be especially difficult during this upcoming stretch on the road. Still, these Warriors should not be counted out, and Curry won't be out too long. They just need to weather the storm.
The upside of their role players
The dilemma that media personnel and fans have been discussing with the Warriors is what to do with their youngsters, including James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody. Since they are still raw talents who are finding their roles in the NBA, their timeline is vastly different from the Warriors' nucleus. Kuminga has shown the most flashes of brilliance in showcasing his talent on the biggest stage.
Kuminga will be expected to raise his scoring average to fill in the 30+ PPG lost without Stephen Curry. Moody is another guy who received critical minutes even in the playoffs last season, but he has been having trouble earning rotation minutes this season. With Curry out, the minutes will be spread out, and Moody will be one player who will receive opportunities of thriving as a 3-and-D player.
For Wiseman, this could also present another opportunity. He has been playing in the G League because of his ineffectiveness in the NBA, but he could get a chance to prove himself again at some point. Wiseman figuring things out would really help the Warriors dig out of their rut.
Of course, this Stephen Curry injury could just spur Golden State's front office to make a trade, and these young guys could wind up being trade bait. Either way, they will have an important role to play this season, whether it is on the Warriors or as a trade chip.
