Image Source: Monte Poole
Key Takeaways:
- The Golden State Warriors’ roster is "profoundly defective" and lacks the necessary length and athleticism to compete with top teams like the Atlanta Hawks.
- The Warriors’ margin for error is thin, and they struggle to overcome their shortcomings, particularly against teams with active and disruptive defenders.
- The team’s reliance on Stephen Curry’s scoring is not enough to win games, and they need to make upgrades to their roster to compete at the highest level.
- The Warriors’ front office has 25 days to make trades and bring in productive players to address their weaknesses before the NBA trade deadline on February 5.
- The team’s recent surge in winning eight of their previous 11 games was halted by the Hawks, who exposed the Warriors’ vulnerabilities and handed them a 124-111 loss.
Introduction to the Warriors’ Struggles
The Golden State Warriors’ recent winning streak came to an end on Sunday as they faced off against the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center. The Hawks, with their lengthy and athletic roster, proved to be the Warriors’ kryptonite, exposing their most obvious vulnerabilities and handing them a 124-111 loss. As De’Anthony Melton noted, "They got a lot of long, lanky dudes, especially with their guard play." This lack of length and athleticism has been a recurring issue for the Warriors, and it was on full display against the Hawks.
The Hawks’ Dominant Performance
The Hawks’ roster is built to exploit the Warriors’ weaknesses, and they did just that on Sunday. With active and disruptive defenders like 6-foot-9 Jalen Johnson, 6-foot-9 Onyeka Okongwu, and 6-foot-11 Mouhammed Gueye up front, the Warriors struggled to penetrate the paint and create scoring opportunities. As Stephen Curry said, "We struggled to get paint touches tonight. The ball was kind of just swinging around the perimeter, and they were able to keep five bodies on bodies. That’s usually what good defenses do. Tonight, we didn’t have that answer." The Hawks’ length and athleticism allowed them to outscore the Warriors 20-7 over the final 6:07 of the third quarter, putting the game out of reach.
The Warriors’ Turnover Woes
The Warriors’ struggles were compounded by their turnover woes, particularly in the third quarter. They committed five live-ball giveaways, which led to 13 points for the Hawks. As coach Steve Kerr noted, "They just played a great game. We couldn’t turn them over. They shot it lights out, had 32 assists, only seven turnovers. I didn’t think we played poorly. I didn’t think we played that well. Obviously, 10-for-42 (from deep), we needed to shoot better. But more than anything, they just played a great game and deserved it." The Warriors’ inability to take care of the ball and create turnovers on defense was a major factor in their loss.
The Need for Roster Upgrades
The Warriors’ front office has 25 days to make trades and bring in productive players to address their weaknesses before the NBA trade deadline on February 5. As Kerr said before the game, "We know how good they are defensively, with length everywhere. It’s really a game where we have to really keep it simple, make good decisions, and keep control of the game, make them score in the halfcourt." The Warriors’ current roster is not equipped to compete at the highest level, and upgrades are needed to counteract the kryptonite that teams like the Hawks pose. The Jonathan Kuminga trade market, which has been cool, opens on Thursday, and the Warriors will need to be active in the trade market to bring in players who can help them overcome their shortcomings.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
The Warriors’ loss to the Hawks was a harsh reminder of their shortcomings, and it will not be the last time they face similar challenges with their current roster. To recover from this loss and resume their recent surge, the Warriors will need to play near-perfect basketball and hope it is enough. However, with the right upgrades, they can become a more competitive team and make a deeper run in the playoffs. As Curry said, "Usually, there’s going to be one or two guys that you can kind of go at to create an advantage. Doesn’t mean they’re just going to do that olé defense and just let you get to the paint. But you can create an advantage and then make them react, get the ball moving side to side. We did that well for short spurts out of the game. You just got to be able to have composure and attack if you have a little bit of an angle just to get downhill." With the right personnel, the Warriors can create more advantages and make a stronger push for the playoffs.
Warriors’ kryptonite, dire need for roster changes exposed by the athletic Hawks