The Golden State Warriors shattered all expectations during the 2021-22 season, winning the 2022 NBA championship after many pundits and fans thought that the Warriors dynasty has already peaked following the departure of Kevin Durant in 2019. But Stephen Curry proved that his time on the NBA mountaintop isn't yet over. Nevertheless, it sure looks like the Warriors' dynasty is closer to death than it has ever been for the past decade or so.

Throughout the 2022-23 season, the Warriors have put up an eerie Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde impersonation, looking like world beaters at home and looking like frontrunners in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes on the road. And that baffling inconsistency has carried over into the postseason, and now, they're only one loss to the Los Angeles Lakers away from kissing the opportunity to win consecutive championships goodbye.

For the first four games of the series, it sure has looked like the Lakers have had the Warriors' number. Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers have lived at the free throw line, and they have denied plenty of easy buckets for the Dubs, with Davis playing out of his mind on the defensive end.

Moreover, the Lakers, by virtue of their ability to manufacture easy buckets near the rim and the consequent ease with which they accumulate free throws, have looked like the superior team in the clutch, winning two crucial close games in Games 1 and 4 as they run away with a commanding lead over the Warriors.

Again, it's very infuriating to play the blame game, because basketball is a team sport. A team that loses loses as a team. But given the responsibilities these players must fulfill, they have fallen way short of expectations, especially during the Warriors' crushing Game 4 loss.

Here are three players most to blame for the Warriors' inexplicable Game 4 meltdown against the Lakers.

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Jordan Poole

Jordan Poole, the 28th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, looked like the future torch-bearer of the Warriors dynasty. Poole stepped up when Stephen Curry was still recovering from injury during last year's playoffs, and he had plenty of memorable moments during their run to the championship. He made crucial shots against the Boston Celtics during the NBA Finals, and playing as well as he did at the biggest stage at the young age of 22, it looked like the sky was the limit for the Warriors guard.

And the Warriors gave him a vote of confidence, choosing to re-sign him to a maximum deal over Draymond Green, one of the foundational pieces of their title-winning teams of the past eight years. However, Poole's performance this season hasn't quite put him on the same upward trajectory, and if this continues, it's looking like the Warriors have tied up a significant portion of their cap space on an inconsistent guard who can shoot a team out of a game.

In Game 4, Jordan Poole was nowhere to be found for the Warriors. In fact, it looks like Steve Kerr has had enough of him, playing him just 10 minutes. And in those minutes, Poole went scoreless, going 0-4. And if he isn't hitting shots, then what does he really do on the court to warrant any significant minutes?

For a player set to make $30+ million annually for the next four years, Poole needs to begin earning his dough. And it all starts with a bounce-back performance from him in Game 5 as the Warriors try to pull off the unthinkable.

Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson has shown up in the playoffs before. In this series alone, Thompson led the Warriors to an easy Game 2 victory. But at 33 years old, Thompson has become more inconsistent than ever. In Game 4, Thompson's shots were not falling, and he took way too many difficult shots. Sure, he made those in Game 2, but when his shot isn't falling, Thompson doesn't possess the skillset to manufacture easy shots when the Warriors offense clogs up in crunch time.

Thompson's Game 6 alter ego may be the stuff of legends, but he will need to bring that out in Games 5 to 7 (if the Warriors even make it that far) for them to have a chance against a Lakers team that's brimming with confidence.

Steve Kerr

What is it with championship-winning coaches and refusing to call timeouts at the most crucial points of a game? With the Warriors down by one, Steve Kerr just let the Warriors play it out, resulting in two difficult Stephen Curry pull-ups that essentially sealed the loss. And then following the jump ball win that gave them a fighting chance, the Warriors did not call timeout once again.

Kerr made some crucial adjustments in Game 4, so it's not like the blame he has to shoulder is considerable. But Kerr definitely knows better than this.