The Golden State Warriors are a shell of themselves. Once a mighty title-contender that struck fear into the hearts out their opponents, they’re now what face of the franchise Stephen Curry calls “very average.” With that being said, the Warriors haven’t tucked their tail between their legs, but they’re definitely not the big dogs on the block anymore. This has led to the two-time MVP openly lamenting the state of his team, with the most recent occurrence following a blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2-Time MVP Stephen Curry Laments ‘Very Average’ State Of Warriors
“We’re just very average,” Curry begins, trying to come up with the right words to describe his team’s situation. “I think we understand that better days can be ahead and we’re not in that big of a hole… We can make up a lot of ground pretty quickly.”
Steph Curry: “We’re just very average.” pic.twitter.com/xHGSBRqP3D
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 31, 2024
“It’s a tough, tough task. But that fine line between losing hope and confidence and understanding one good week (and) you’re kind of back in it, that’s where we are.”
Steve Kerr: “I feel better about our young group than I ever have.” Reiterated he thinks Kuminga is “turning a corner,” TJD is making a “leap,” Podziemski’s all-around glue game and a hope Moody “can get healthy and on a run.”
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 31, 2024
“It is an emotional roller coaster for sure,” he admits. “It’s frustrating that you’re losing games for all different types of reasons. But as the calendar flips into the New Year… it’s literally right there to turn the corner to having a positive momentum and something you can kind of hold onto as an identity of how we win basketball games.”
All Hope Isn’t Lost… Yet
Curry’s comments hit the nail on the head.
Statistically, the Warriors are average. Among the league’s 30 teams, they rank 18th in points per game (111.5), 17th in three-point percentage (.359), 11th in opponent’s points per game (110.6), and 14th in net rating (+1.0). Record-wise, the Warriors are average. Among the 15 teams in the Western Conference, they’re now 10th at 16-16. Curry is a first-ballot Hall of Famer but they have several rotations players who are, well, average.
Yet, if the regular season ended today, Golden State would be in the Play-In Tournament and have a chance at clinching a playoff berth. Notably, the Warriors are just 5.0 games behind the Houston Rockets, who are third in the West at 21-11. So, while this torrid stretch has them on their heels, they can be cautiously optimistic about how the rest of the season turns out.
They just need to figure out the right formula.
The Cam Johnson Solution
In the beginning of the season, their depth and defense helped them get off to a 12-3 start.
However, their extended rotation and constant role changes have left the team without a firm identity on offense. The only real constants have been Curry being the focal point of the first unit, Buddy Hield getting his shots off in the second unit, and Andrew Wiggins playing like he’s still the third option even when he needs to be the sous chef. Once a team that ran like a well-oiled machine, the Warriors now have a patchwork offense without an ideal solution.
For Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to continue running his preferred system, Jonathan Kuminga would have to suddenly morph into Klay Thompson. That’s just not happening. At this point, their best bet may be to target Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson. Though the asking price is pretty high, he’s the best 3-and-D player that’s known to be available.
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