The Golden State Warriors started fast and then stalled, with a three game losing streak. After 1l games they are 6-5. Other teams rated ahead of them preseason had tougher starts, but several of them are coming around. So it's an important moment.
There are some anomalies: last year's team couldn't win on the road, this year the Warriors can't seem to win at home. Last year the starting five was the best in the league and reserves blew leads; this year the starters are struggling and the bench is energetic and effective.
Most analysts point to the obvious fact that Steph Curry is having a tremendous start--his string of games with four or more 3 pointers alone is unprecedented--but he isn't getting enough scoring help. It keeps being said that Andrew Wiggins is having a slow start, and Klay Thompson and Chris Paul are in shooting slumps. When they come around, it is said... But what if they don't? What if they--or any one of them-- can't? This is always a possibility with veterans especially. Though Dario Saric is providing more points than expected, nobody is making up for the 20 points a game they lost when Poole was sent to Washington.
Coach Kerr talks as if he sees this as one of the lows in a long season. It's true that the Dubs caught Cleveland and Minnesota in the midst of a hot streak, and when you play teams matters almost as much as who you play. But there's also this: the Warriors did well in their early games by beating teams they are supposed to beat. But they aren't yet beating teams they need to beat, elite teams. They especially having trouble with mobile, skilled bigs--at Denver, and against Cleveland and MN. So far they've got no answer, offensively or defensively.
The game Tuesday in Minnesota will really affect the narrative going forward, especially because it is an in-season tournament game. It's hard to see how Steph can step up his game, so it's going to be up to others and the team as a whole to get it going and get it flowing--especially the starters.
UPDATE: Wow, who could see that coming--the Warriors went into the game with MN on Tuesday knowing that Steph wasn't playing because of a sore knee (not known yet how bad the injury is.) Then the game started and before a point was scored, there was a melee, a fracas (two words I love to use), that resulted in Klay and Draymond being ejected, unfairly if you ask their coach. And the Dubs still almost won the game! So losing four straight is one thing. But how the Warriors came together in this one may turn out to be more important in the long run. They're going to be playing with an edge. Assuming Steph is back, and maybe even if he isn't, I don't envy being a hot OKC coming to the Warriors' house.
