Golden State Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry suggested Wednesday night after a 141-105 blowout home loss to the New Orleans Saints that the team may have to make some significant adjustments moving forward.
Speaking to reporters after the one-sided defeat, Curry discussed the potential need for change and the fact that the Warriors are not accustomed to struggling as much as they have been lately:
“It’s pretty evident that if things stay the same, that’s the definition of insanity, right? Keep doing the same thing but expecting different results. …
“You get to a point where you’re trying to explain it, trying to figure out what can change specifically that can help us. Those conversations are happening in between games, in film sessions, in the locker room. But it’s headed in the opposite direction. I don’t know what to say about it. We’re not used to this vibe around our team. … It all sucks.”
The Warriors have typically been a force at home during the era of Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr, but they are a pedestrian 11-11 at home this season and went a disappointing 2-5 during a seven-game homestand with four of those losses coming by double digits.
Golden State’s play has been so flat lately that Curry admitted Wednesday that he didn’t blame the home fans for booing the team, saying: “We’re obviously struggling. There’s nothing really to cheer about. So, the cheering is booing, might as well. I don’t take any certain kind of way. Honestly, I’m booing myself, booing our team in my head because of the way we are playing.”
As they approach the midway point of the season, the Warriors are nowhere near where they typically sit in the standings, as they are 12th in the Western Conference with a disappointing 17-20 record.
There is still plenty of basketball left to be played and the Dubs are only 1.5 games out of the final spot in the postseason play-in tournament, which is the 10th seed, but they need to start moving in a positive direction soon.
Curry’s shooting is a bit off this season, as he is shooting just 44.7 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from beyond the arc compared to his career marks of 47.4 percent and 42.6 percent, but he has still been highly productive with 26.7 points, 4.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game.
The Warriors’ biggest issue may be a lack of production from the supporting cast, as Thompson is second on the team in scoring with 17.1 points per game, and nobody else is reaching even 13 points per contest.
Even as the team’s second-leading scorer, Thompson is having a down year in his own right, shooting 42.8 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent from deep despite being one of the best three-point shooters of all time.
Green is set to return imminently from a suspension and Chris Paul is on the injured list with a hand injury, but the best course of action may be for Kerr to play his younger players more frequently.
Jonathan Kuminga is the obvious choice for increased usage, but more Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody could inject life into the team as well.
Failing that, the Warriors’ only hope to get back in championship contention after winning four titles in eight years from 2015 to 2022 may be a blockbuster trade that adds another star to the roster.