Golden State Warriors not ready to hit the panic button despite slow start
The Golden State Warriors kicked off the 2022-23 NBA season with two wins in their first three games. Those pair of wins came against the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings.
But since that time, the Warriors have struggled, to say the least. Following their solid start, they have dropped six of their last seven games. This includes consecutive losses against the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and New Orleans Pelicans.
And in the midst of their current stretch, the Warriors have also began the season with losses in each of their first six road games. This marks the first time that a defending champion has started an NBA season with six consecutive road losses. Their 3-7 record marks just the fifth time in league history in which a defending champions has started a season with a similar record or worse.
One of the reasons why the Golden State Warriors are in a tailspin has to do with the fact they are not playing well at the defensive end of the floor.
For example, in 2021-22, the Warriors finished with the third-best scoring defense in the association. This season, they are ranked last, allowing 121.4 points per contest.
Last season, the Warriors posted had the league’s best defensive rating, allowing 116.7 points per 100 possessions. This is the third-worse mark in the NBA.
In addition to aforementioned stats, the Warriors are currently ranked 25th in opponent shooting percentage. Their opposition is shooting an efficient 47.6 percent from the field. Ouch!
Although the Golden State Warriors aren’t playing well right now, the team isn’t panicking as of yet.
“There are times in the NBA season when things can go off the rails a little bit,” Steve Kerr told ESPN after practice Sunday. “A big part of being a great team, being a solid organization, is just understanding how to work through that.”
Kerr also went on to mention that there were a couple of areas in which the Warriors can improve: boxing out and fouling. Something he said would be emphasized in practice this upcoming week.
Warriors shooting guard, Klay Thompson had this perspective as the Warriors return to the Chase Center for the next two games the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers:
“We just need to bring more of a sense of urgency,” Thompson said. “We had a long run last year, but 2022 is over. It’s time to kick into high gear and play that championship level of basketball that we’re used to. I fully expect us to do that.”
“We know how good we are in this building,” Thompson added. “So I think we’re going to be off to a fresh start.”
Despite their 3-7 start, the Warriors do have a couple of reasons to be optimistic. First, championships aren’t won in November and December.
Second, the Warriors probably remember how the Boston Celtics rebounded from a slow start last season. Those Celtics were out of the conference playoff race before finishing the season with a 28-7 record, earning their first NBA Finals appearance in over a decade.
With that being said, the Golden State Warriors know what it takes to win on the NBA’s biggest stage. And while things don’t look good right now, look for the Warriors to bounce back in a big way.