Golden State Warriors
The 2022-23 Golden State Warriors can be defined by losing in the second round of the playoffs to the Lakers, the earliest playoff exit in the Steph-Klay-Dray-Kerr-Bob Meyers era.
What did we learn?
The Warriors never figured out this season’s iteration of themselves.
And they couldn’t win on the road.
The glaring signs were there all season long with insanely drastic home/road splits. Away from the Chase Center, their defense dropped off a cliff:
Warriors at home: (33-8) No. 10 offense and No. 3 defense
Warriors on the road: (11-30) No. 11 offense and No. 28 defense
They were the worst defending champion team on the road in the history of the sport.
Even so, the Warriors were still able to fight through Game 7 of the first round in Sacramento to advance. But it took Steph going into Supernova mode, scoring 50 points (!!), the most in a Game 7 at that point ever.
There were no such dice in the second round vs. the Lakers, a bigger and vastly more experienced team than the Kings (who were in the playoffs for the first time in 17 years).
The Warriors just did not have the athleticism, size or depth to hang with the Lakers. It’s ironic that old-school post-up ball was what took the Warriors out in 6 games. It was their earliest playoff exit since their 2014 first-round loss to the Clippers.
Klay never got going in the playoffs. He missed a bunch of wide-open 3s that the Dubs surely could have used. Klay had a crazy stretch from Feb. to the end of the regular season, averaging 43 percent on 10.8 3s per game. Klay even led the entire league in made 3s this season. But that sharp-shooting Klay did not make it to the postseason. In the last four games against the Lakers, he shot 10-of-36 from beyond the arc. (Although he deserves a shoutout for 8-for-11 in Game 2, a 27-point Warriors win.)
Jordan Poole regressed mightily. He was wildly inefficient and careless for most of the season. Poole still had some big games here and there, but they were far less often than last season when he burst onto the scene.
Wiggins being away from the team for two straight months definitely didn’t help. The chemistry and flow here was off. Draymond’s preseason punching of Poole threw the vibes off. They never got it back.
Kuminga looked promising at the end of the regular season when Wiggins was out. But when Wiggins returned in the playoffs and GP2 entered the mix, Kuminga was pulled from the rotation entirely. Moses Moody averaged 13 minutes per game. They gave up on Wiseman to get GP2 back.
Where it once looked like they had a clear bridge to the future with Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody, the Warriors’ future now is as murky as ever.
Bob Meyers has stepped down. Draymond has declined his player option and is a free agent.
Draymond says he wants to ride it out with the same guys that he rode in with, but does everyone else feel the same? Does he really mean it in the end?
This is how it usually goes for the perennial contenders. Eventually, they become old and expensive, making it difficult to proceed.
The new CBA with the second tax apron does not do the Warriors any favors. It might actually be the final nail in the coffin. Their upcoming luxury tax bills are going to make things increasingly complicated.
We have always said that the Warriors Dynasty cannot be pronounced dead so long as Steph, Klay and Dray are repping the blue and gold.
From light years ahead — to the brink.
_____________________________________
Additional Notes
Before the season started, the Warriors were lauded for their depth, but then we looked up to see Ty Jerome and Anthony Lamb playing tons of minutes.
Donte DiVincenzo had his best shooting season yet. He also played the most games of his career at 72.
Speaking of games played, Kevon Looney was an NBA Iron Man for the second straight season, and Jordan Poole joined him in playing all 82 games for the Dubs. (That won’t be the case next season.)
_____________________________________
Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
Rollin’ with the Champs on their quest for back-to-back. Over 52 wins.
Warriors 2022-23 record: (44-38)
Not quite.
_____________________________________
What’s Next?
Mike Dunleavy has taken over for Bob Meyers and has enormous shoes to fill. He’s gotten off to a spicy start.
Jordan Poole is OUT and Chris Paul is IN. CP3 is a high-IQ player, which checks out, but he’s not exactly going to be able to run around and do all that movement that the Warriors’ offense is predicated on. Perhaps he’s some Draymond insurance?
With the No. 19 pick in the draft, the Warriors selected Brandin Podziemski from Santa Clara. He seems to be highly regarded. Podziemski said he was looking forward to playing against Steph, but now he gets to play with him.
_____________________________________
