After going 53-29 in the regular season last year and winning their 4th NBA title in 8 seasons, the Golden State Warriors are off to an ice-cold start, especially for their high standards that come with so much success over the past eight seasons. They currently sit in the 10th spot in the Western Conference with a 13-12 record, barely making it into the four-team play if the NBA season were to end today. The season is by no means over for this team, and it’s not necessarily time to hit the panic button just yet. However, if the Warriors want to return to their usual dominance of the NBA, they’ll have to start becoming more healthy and will have to fix their inability to play on the road.
Injuries Have not Helped Steve Kerr and His Team
The warriors have struggled this year in keeping their roster at full health. They have played few games at max strength and will need to optimize staying healthy in what is the long and physically taxing NBA season. It’s one of the main reasons why they’ve played so poorly so far this season. In their game against the Jazz on December 7th, the Warriors went without Curry, Green, Wiggins, & Iguodala.
When Golden State has these big names off the court and on the bench, even with their effective role players, they will struggle to win games in the NBA. It’s important that Coach Kerr, and the players themselves, prioritize the health of every player on the roster. They will need their team at max strength in order to be successful at winning games and achieving a higher seed in the Western Conference.
The Warriors have Just Two Road Wins
Yes, you heard that right. The Warriors currently have two wins on the road so far this season, with ten games sitting in the road loss column. In past seasons, they have been, well, “Warriors” on the road and have embraced playing in difficult environments with a giant target on their back. Their 2-10 road record is currently second worst in the association, trailing only the Orlando Magic’s dreadful 1-11 start in away games this season. Steve Kerr and his team will have to figure out a way to start playing better on the road if they want to climb up the Western Conference standings.
But in the NBA’s more competitive conference, this will be no easy task. It’ll take players staying healthy and leaders like Steph, Klay, and Draymond to lead their team to victories in hostile road environments. If the Warriors do not start to get healthy and continue their road woes into the new year, then Dub Nation fans will have full permission to hit the panic button.
