Two games into the season and the Golden State Warriors have clearly been the worst team in the NBA. They lost in a combined 65 points against their matchups between the Nets and the Bucks.
Of course, the Nets and the Bucks are no doubt, the top contenders for the Eastern Conference. However, the Warriors’ play has been abysmal to say the least. Their star point guard Stephen Curry is shooting a measly 34.2% from the field and 20% from three.
Opponents are double-teaming him every single play and with no other elite playmaker on the floor, the Warriors’ offense appears to be stagnant and sloppy. With the previous championship rosters, teams were forced to throw double teams at Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant. This gave the main facilitator, Draymond Green, golden opportunities for beautiful passes resulting in threes or lobs. But, the Warriors are likely going to be without Klay for the rest of the season and Kevin Durant, well, is in a Brooklyn uniform now.
During the offseason, the Warriors also picked up fan-favorite Kelly Oubre. Although he demonstrates flashes of brilliance on the defensive end, his performance offensively has been disappointing. Oubre is a historically awful 0-11 from downtown. Optimistic fans can say that he is still adjusting to the Warriors’ system and he does show very promising scoring ability accompanied with athleticism.
Another relatively new Warrior, Andrew Wiggins, is also performing poorly. The former No.1 pick, traded from the Timberwolves early this year, excited fans who were hoping for a young small forward to fill Durant’s shoes. Posting similar stats to Oubre, Wiggins needs to wake up. He clearly struggled to defend perimeter players and gave up careless turnovers.
Despite his teammates’ woes, rookie James Wiseman did present a bright spot. Golden State’s front office selected him for the No.2 pick from Memphis back in November. Executive Bob Myers, seeking size, rim protection and the ability to finish, seems to have made the right choice. Wiseman is also shooting well outside the arc and impressing Steve Kerr and the coaching staff with his maturity on the court.
As for the second and third-string players, they are at best, decent. Brad Wanamaker does show promise in making quality decisions and finishing off of contact. Sophomore Eric Paschall, named All-Rookie first team last season, isn’t off to a great start. Paschall is averaging 7.0 ppg along with 35.7% field goal percentage. Little-known shooter, Mychal Mulder, is playing well and will definitely be turned to for an offensive spark during dry spells.
Still, an 0-2 start can be extremely discouraging, especially for a team who finished 15-50 last season. Just as expected, the Western Conference is stacked with teams who have high playoff hopes. The eighth seed is going to be tough to snag with teams like the Blazers, Suns and the Grizzlies in the mix.
It’s safe to say that the Warriors have a lot to do. After the defeat on Friday to Milwaukee, Curry bluntly stated, “We need to win.” The Warriors hope to bounce back in their next game against the Chicago Bulls.
