Steve Kerr has taken the blame for the Golden State Warriors’ recent lethargy.
“I’m not doing my job well this year,” Kerr told reporters recently, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Golden State is coming off two straight losses where the Warriors led both games. The Warriors have lost eight of their last 12 games and currently sit in eighth place in the Western Conference with a 13-14 record.
Steve Kerr Makes Decision On Warriors Starting Lineup and Rotation, Is It The Right Choice?
The Warriors have a lot of issues. The Warriors have struggled against teams with a winning record (6-8), and while they are 5-5 against the Western Conference’s top-8 teams, the Dubs have a scoring margin deficit of nearly 40 points (-3.9 points per game). More concerning is that the Warriors are only 7-6 against teams with losing records, with three of those losses coming against Portland.
Golden State is 21st in the NBA in offensive rating (113.4) as the Warriors are only an average shooting team at best. The Warriors turn the ball over too much and don’t get to the offensive glass.
Granted, injuries have played a part in the Warriors’ issues. Stephen Curry has missed nine of the Warriors’ first 27 games, and Jonathan Kuminga has sat out 10. Al Horford has not played in 13 contests, and De’Anthony Melton made his debut at the beginning of the month.
Warriors Injuries
There is good news. The Warriors are relatively healthy, with Horford and Pat Spencer (personal) being the only players on the injury report. Both players have been ruled out for tonight’s contest. While Kerr indicated that the 39-year-old center is nearing a return during his media appearance on Tuesday, Horford believes he needs more time.
“Horford said he is feeling better in his rehab — but he thinks he’s probably another week away from returning as he continues to deal with a sciatica issue,” The Athletic’s Nick Friedell tweeted today.
Seth Curry is a late addition to the Warriors’ injury list for Thursday’s game against the Suns. Curry is dealing with a thigh injury and is questionable for the contest. However, he hasn’t played in the Warriors’ last four games.
After facing the Suns in Phoenix, Golden State begins a three-game homestand against them on December 20. The Warriors then host the Magic on Monday and the Mavericks on Christmas Day. The Warriors are 7-4 and have the seventh-best scoring margin at 7.1 points per game. Additionally, the Warriors have been pretty good defensively, allowing the sixth-fewest points (113.2) and ranking fifth in defensive efficiency.
Warriors Starting Lineup and Rotation
With the Warriors’ injuries and Kerr trying to find the right combination, the Warriors have already used 15 starting lineups. But Kerr said that in the future, Curry, Butler, Draymond Green, Moses Moody, and Quentin Post will be his regular starting five. That fivesome started their first game together Sunday, which ended in a 136-131 loss to Portland. Curry poured in 48 points, but the Warriors’ starters were outscored 106-101. Moreover, the Warriors’ five starters registered a cumulative -25 rating while the Blazers’ first unit was a +13.
In addition to announcing the Warriors’ starting lineup, Kerr indicated Jonathan Kuminga would return to the rotation. Kuminga, the Warriors’ most athletic player, is one of the Dubs’ best interior scorers. The 23-year-old forward has struggled this year with injuries and consistency. He has received five DNPs since mid-November and
“You definitely want to see how guys respond in practice,” Kerr said on Wednesday. “And I can tell you, JK, has been great this last week as he’s been out of the rotation. He’s working really hard, and I’m going to reward that.”
Warriors Rotation
Speaking of the rotation, Friedell said that Kerr has been open about how tough it has been to juggle the rotation and find the right combination.
“It’s tricky,” Kerr said. “I think we have 14, 15 guys who I feel very comfortable putting on the floor, but I also only feel comfortable playing 11 at the most each night, really 10, and so no matter how we slice it, I’m gonna come up here and you’re gonna ask me about three different guys and it’s fair because they can all play.”
Golden State has one of the best benches in the NBA. Thirteen Warriors have played in 17 or more games, and 15 of the 16 who have appeared in a game average at least 12 minutes a contest.
Rookie Will Richard, who has been one of the NBA’s biggest surprises in the early going, has not played the last two games. As Spencer had been seeing increased playing time. But Kerr said that Richard will get some time in the future.
“The great thing with Will is he gets it,” Kerr said. “I went to him last week and told him I was gonna take him out of the rotation because we’re getting healthy and I want to play my vets and give everybody a look. And he said, “I got you, coach.” He understands his place on the team as a rookie, and his time will come back around for sure.”
What Is The Warriors’ Best Starting Lineup?
While Curry, Green, Butler, Moody, and Post have only started one game together, that fivesome has one of the worst +/- ratings per 100 possessions on the team at -13.2 in just 15 minutes. Granted, it is too early to tell how this group will fare together over the long haul.
Here is a thing to ponder. Post is a team-best +8.5 point in the 13 games he has started with Butler (+4.4) and Green (+2.2) being fourth and sixth. Moody (+1.6) and Curry (+ 0.9) also have a positive plus/minus in games they have started. Obviously, Butler, Green, and Curry are the anchors of the Warriors. The Warriors are 7-6 in games Post has begun, though just 5-9 in the games Moody has opened.
Butler/Curry/Green/Moody/ Richard
This is Kerr’s most-used starting lineup six times. The Warriors are 3-3 in those six games, and they are a +12.2 per 100 possessions in 55 minutes together. Getting to the foul line was their lone weakness.
Butler/Curry/Green/Kuminga/Post
This is Kerr’s second-most-used starting lineup. The Warriors are 2-3 in the five games and +22.2 points per 100 possessions. While this is arguably the Dubs’ best offensive starting units, they struggle mightily on the glass on both ends.
Butler/ Curry/Green/ Kuminga/ Brandon Podziemski
This is the Warriors’ most successful starting lineup in terms of wins and losses at 3-1. This lineup has played the most minutes of any five-man unit and is a +12.4. While this unit is one of the Warriors’ top 3-point lineups, they struggle on the glass, with turnovers, and with fouling.
© Robert Edwards, Imagn Images
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