The Warriors continue to let unexpected players score career highs. Why does their defense turn unlikely role players into stars for a night?
It’s becoming a strange yet familiar sight for Dub Nation. Just over a week ago, they allowed Aaron Gordon to explode for a career-high 50 points. A few nights later, Ryan Rollins did the same for Milwaukee. Even last season, Quentin Grimes dropped a then-career high 44 points on Golden State, another example of a role player looking unstoppable for one night.
But why does this keep happening?
The Warriors’ Hidden Defensive Flaw: Career Highs for Everyone
What the Numbers Hide
The Warriors’ defensive struggles have become a pattern. In the last few weeks, several opponents have posted either season or career highs against the Dubs, with many of them role players suddenly emerging as main scorers. For a team built on championship DNA, it’s a worrying trend. The Warriors’ offense remains as fluid as ever, but defensively, they make average scorers look like NBA All-Stars.
Last season, the Warriors were seventh in the NBA with a defensive rating of 111.7. Yet, despite ranking as one of the best defensive teams in the league, the eye tells a different story. Miscommunication, inconsistencies, and slow bench rotations. On paper, the defense looks solid, but in practice, it remains a real issue. Similar issues are also beginning to emerge this season.
The Real Problem
The real worry with Golden State’s defensive struggles is that their problems are systemic.
Too often, the Warriors overcommit to guarding star players on the opposing team, sending extra defenders and leaving the role players wide open beyond the arc. Nearly two weeks ago, against the Nuggets, the three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić had the Dubs’ full attention, allowing Gordon to score 50 points with 10 made threes from the perimeter, many of which were completely uncontested.
Other times, those career nights for role players come when the star isn’t even on the court. When Aaron Nesmith scored a career-high 31 points a few days ago, the Pacers’ star man, two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, wasn’t even playing, yet the Dubs still tasted defeat. It seems as though the Warriors are often unprepared whenever a new offensive focal point takes to the floor.
Structural Weaknesses
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s defensive system has remained largely unchanged since 2015.
The lack of size and athleticism in the bench unit makes it harder for Warriors players to close out on shooters or contest shots effectively, while the aging core of Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, and Stephen Curry can’t switch and rotate like they did in their prime. Kerr’s system is built on teamwork and communication, but constant lineup adjustments and defensive misreads have made it harder to maintain. Unfortunately, the 2025 Warriors aren’t as in tune as they were during their championship years.
Can They Fix It?
The Warriors have the experience and veteran IQ to clean things up. With the older roster they now have, they might be a step slower when closing out on shooters along the perimeter, but they still possess the championship DNA to lock in when it matters.
Golden State have enjoyed a strong start to the season with plenty of positives, but their defense continues to crack at key moments, especially on the road against teams that shouldn’t be a challenge. If Kerr can continue developing his bench, strengthen player communication, and stop relying so heavily on his starters each night, the Warriors might finally see light at the end of the tunnel. Those defensive relapses giving opponents career-high performances week after week could soon become a distant memory. But until that happens, role players will look forward to the day they go up against the Warriors, knowing it might be their best chance to dominate and have one of the greatest games of their careers.
In the end, the Warriors must remember that their biggest opponent might just be themselves.
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