The weakened Golden State Warriors’ stretch run of the season got off to a bad start on Thursday when they were defeated 124-111 by the Los Angeles Lakers in their new look.
Here are three key reactions—complete with analysis, numbers and film—from the Dubs’ blowout loss to their Southern California rivals.
Draymond Green and Kevon Looney are non-shooters. Jonathan Kuminga entered the All-Star break hot from three, but on low volume that shows just far he has to go before being a consistent long-range threat. It does JaMychal Green a favor to call him streaky from beyond the arc. Even Anthony Lamb isn’t exactly stoking fear in defenses when launching triples.
None of that’s a secret, of course, and the Warriors have won titles with multiple players unable to knock down threes. But Steph Curry’s absence magnifies the sweeping effects of that individual and collective weakness to a truly debilitating extent, especially when facing a Lakers team that has shown a willingness to pay poor shooters barely any mind when left alone on the perimeter.
Los Angeles was up to that old trick again on Thursday, following the blueprint that helped Darvin Ham’s team beat the Warriors at Chase Center without LeBron James just less than two weeks ago. The Lakers dared Kuminga, Green and Looney to shoot from the opening tip, laying at least several body lengths off them while smaller defenders top-locked Golden State’s Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson.
The result? Some of the ugliest half-court offense the reigning champs have played all season. Look how helpless Green is on this second quarter possession as Anthony Davis basically begs him to shoot and Los Angeles denies away from the ball.
It didn’t much matter when Steve Kerr got creative, either.
This time, the Warriors go to double-drag action with Green as the first screener in hopes of confusing Davis and Troy Brown. DiVincenzo gets a clear runway to the rim after turning the corner, but James bails on Kuminga one pass away, barely even faking a close-out as the 20-year-old hesitates before popping a missed three.
Kuminga hit a couple jump shots the Lakers implored him to shoot, including a step-in 17-footer from the left elbow. JaMychal Green nailed a corner three after an offensive board, too. But he and Looney also clanked wide-open looks from mid-range, and Draymond’s efforts to eat up space against Davis were futile.
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Golden State adjusted after halftime, running less of its offense through dribble hand-off actions and delay sets. Using Green and Looney as screeners and stashing them in the dunker spot only minimally increased spacing, though, and Poole is the only active player who really has the off-dribble goods to take advantage of those creases anyway.
The Warriors’ best offense on Thursday came off turnovers, in transition and when the Lakers indulged their penchant for laziness in help rotations and on the defensive glass. That’s no sustainable means of success, and it ended up showing in the final score.
Just keep your fingers crossed upcoming opponents don’t follow Los Angeles’ defensive lead.
Toothless bench dooms short-handed Dubs
The Warriors used an 8-0 run to take an early 13-10 lead, then closed the first half with an 18-8 spurt that stopped some much-needed bleeding on the scoreboard. Golden State entered intermission down just 59-56, coming back from a double-digit deficit largely on the back of nine straight highlight-reel points from Poole.
The other factor driving that run? The short-handed Warriors’ starters were back on the floor, affording them just enough juice on either side of the ball to compete with a full-strength Lakers squad that needs every win it can get to just make the play-in tournament.
It’s hardly shocking Golden State would be out-classed without Curry and Andrew Wiggins—don’t forget Andre Iguodala, either—against a big, athletic foe like Los Angeles. Those guys are bellwethers for Golden State regardless. Playing the Lakers only increases their importance, with Curry capable of single-handedly breaking Ham’s defensive scheme and Wiggins not just an ultra-valuable secondary attacker who can score from all three levels, but the Warriors’ best option checking James.
Golden State was running uphill before this game tipped off. When the second unit of Poole, Ty Jerome, Lamb, JaMychal Green and Looney took the floor, the Warriors were essentially stuck in place.
Fortunately, that’s definitely not a lineup you’ll be seeing in the postseason. Two-way players are barred from the playoffs, and Kerr’s made it abundantly clear since early November he has no interest in slotting Green next to another big. If Lamb’s deal ultimately gets converted to a full-time contract, he’ll surely only play nominal power forward when it matters most.
The problem for Golden State, obviously, is that every game from here on out really matters.
Curry is out at least another week, likely longer. Wiggins’ return timeline from a personal matter is unknown. Who knows on Iguodala? It would be surprising if Gary Payton II made his post-deadline debut before April.
The Warriors will be in a major bind without their makeshift starters on the floor until Curry and Wiggins return. Let’s hope the ball continually bounces their way when bench units are on the floor in the interim. Otherwise, Golden State seems poised to give away points pretty much every time Kerr is forced to call on reserves.
Golden State loses its own game
Offense is what killed the Warriors most on Thursday. Kerr routinely discusses how rote, inefficient offense influences his team’s performance on the other side of the ball, and that was certainly the case against Los Angeles. Set defenses are always more difficult to score on, and Golden State just didn’t get much opportunity to to defend in the halfcourt after shooting 38.1% overall and 14-of-49 from deep.
But it was easy to anticipate the struggles of that feedback loop before this game tipped off. The Warriors should’ve known they needed to compensate elsewhere to steal a victory, and there’s no better place to exploit the Lakers than the open floor—where James and company are at their best offensively and worst defensively.
Instead, Golden State looked unprepared to win that game within the game, multiple times failing to match up in transition and others getting careless with the ball as they tried to produce pace.
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This is a bad look for Thompson, who gets caught worrying about Malik Beasley trailing the play as the ball changes sides instead of sticking with Jarred Vanderbilt. Kuminga is somewhat culpable for failing to mark L.A.’s sharpshooter, too.
Lamb’s hapless flail for a back-court steal is even worse. His gamble gives Austin Reaves room to push with numbers, forcing Ty Jerome to stop the ball and leaving JaMychal Green stuck playing two on the weak side.
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Los Angeles outscored Golden State 29-8 in fast break points, one of its biggest discrepancies of the season. It probably wasn’t the difference between winning and losing with the Warriors at such a talent and depth disadvantage.
Either way, bad transition defense—harped on by Kerr all season—certainly doesn’t speak to the sense of urgency it’s imperative Golden State feels as spring fast approaches.
Source: https://clutchpoints.com
