Four takeaways from the Warriors journey: Wiggins’ struggles, Paul’s role and more
Chris Paul brought up the second unit and adds to his skills, while Andrew Wiggins struggles to get his footing and Moses Moody makes a jump.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and guard Stephen Curry celebrate after the forward made a last-second layup against Green during an NBA midseason basketball game, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and guard Stephen Curry celebrate after the forward made a last-second layup against Green during an NBA midseason basketball game, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
a factor
By Shayna Rubin | sruban@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area Newsgroup
PUBLISHED: November 9, 2023 at 6:00 am | UPDATED: 11/09/2023 at 7:54
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DENVER – The Warriors ended a tough eight-game tour around the country with a 6-3 victory. All three of those losses came on leads, and two of the wins came on last-second shots by Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
Almost every night after games, Curry shares hints about Golden State’s “togetherness” and “competitive spirit” and why he’s excited to see it early in the season while they’re still working through the shuffle and getting familiar with the playbook and what’s new. faces But Curry tempered his judgment Wednesday night when he compared their early road success this year to last year’s struggles.
“I’m not going to talk about last year,” he said. “I’m done.”
But last year provides good context for what went wrong then and how things look this year in comparison. The Warriors play their next six games at home, but here are four shots from their first big road trip.
Another goalscorer must step up
The early dividends show that the move to an older, smarter team is paying off because this team isn’t beating itself up with big turnovers. Curry is in his element, averaging 30 points per game on 47.3% shooting and 51% from the field in 32 minutes – nearly four minutes below his career average – mostly to protect his feet on the court. – difficult early schedule. A more methodical offense creates this efficiency. But to reach the next level, wings must appear, which will take some of the burden off him. Dario Saric is the only Warrior with at least 20 points in a win against the Thunder. Klay Thompson came the closest, scoring 19 and 18 points. The Warriors, not named Curry, shoot 30% (72-237) from three, which includes Thompson’s 35% on 7.5 attempts per game, the number he shot during the Kevin Durant years. Thompson has picked up his scoring in a more measured fashion, especially in the mid-range, but maybe he’ll take more 3s as the season progresses and the Splash Brothers will have a different kind of renaissance.
Another guy who can help is Chris Paul. He is averaging 8.8 points per game on 36.5% shooting from the field, far from his career averages of 17.9 points per game and 46% shooting. Positive: He’s 10-19 from the field in his last two games.
The Golden State Warriors and#039; Andrew Wiggins (22) shoots against the Sacramento Kingsand#039; Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins (22) battles Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis (10) during the first quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area Newsgroup)
The Struggles of Andrew Wiggins
If Wiggins’ shots start to fall and he maintains the same aggressiveness on defense and on the boards that he had against the Nuggets on Wednesday, the Warriors could take off in the next homestand.
But it’s been a rough start for him, with inconsistent rebounding and a stifled attack. Through nine games, the Warriors are minus-48 in 201 minutes played by Wiggins and plus-91 off the court. That is a significant difference, and the Warriors need him to return to his average.
Much of that deficit is due to his poor scoring. The same player who made the All-Star Game in a career three-point season is now shooting 15% from three. He moves away from the 3-point line, but lacks an easy look at the rim and takes odd off-balance shots. He averages 10.8 points per game.
Wiggins said after the Cleveland loss that he “just needs to get into a rhythm” on offense.
“I’ve only got to brag, don’t think,” he said. “Just go out there and play basketball.”
Steve Kerr has consistently dismissed concerns about Wiggins’ struggles.
“The better he is defensively, the better his offense is,” Kerr said. “I’m not worried about Wiggs at all. He’s off to a slow start, he’s got a long record.”
Just nine games into the season, expect Kerr to ease his concerns. But Wiggins played zero minutes in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ win over Detroit, and with the exception of Draymond Green’s game in Denver, he hasn’t had a shutout in most games so far. Kerr sometimes chose to go smaller in the final lineup – sometimes with Gary Payton II or Paul.
The Warriors will need the length and athleticism of Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga on the wings to test the size of their opponents. It’s early, but Wiggins should get over his shock soon.
The Golden State Warriors and#039; Chris Paul (3) watches the first half of the season opener against the Phoenix Suns Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Chris Paul (3) looks on during the season opener against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at Chase Center in San Francisco, California.
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