Grading the Warriors' season, who fits with Steph Curry on Golden State in the future | Dubs Talk
The Golden State Warriors fall to the No. 10 seed after getting blown out in Boston by the Celtics and are now at the bottom of the play-in tournament . On "Dubs Talk," Bonta Hill and Monte Poole grade Golden State's disappointing season before evaluating who the Warriors should keep and who should they move on from in the future. (01:00) - Warriors fall to the No. 10 seed and now are at the bottom of the play-in tournament after getting blown out in Boston by the Celtics (05:00) - Warriors struggled with open 3-point shots against the Celtics (10:00) - Warriors face a daunting back-to-back coming up against the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks (13:00) - Warriors need to be honest with who this team is right now (15:30) - Steve Kerr says Warriors need to build better habits before the play-in tournament (24:00) - Who should the Warriors keep and who should they move on from in the future? (30:00) - "The Warriors look like a lottery team without a ping pong ball" (32:00) - Grading the Warriors' season thus far (38:30) - Warriors go down to Atlanta to take on the Hawks and Jonathan Kuminga
Grading the Warriors' season, who fits with Steph Curry on Golden State in the future | Dubs Talk originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
Oh, baby.
The Dubs Talk Podcast, brought to you by Mancini's Sleepworld, and hopefully nobody fell asleep during that game against the Boston Celtics as the Warriors dropped a one and two on a six-game road trip.
They get beat up in Boston, down by 26 in this one.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, they combine to score 56 points and outscore the Warriors starters in this one, 56 to 52.
And we see why they are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and why the Warriors are stuck in mud without Stephen Curry.
Of course, on the floor they fall to three games under 500 and in 10th place in the Western Conference.
We're gonna discuss it all here on the Dubs Talk Podcast with our Warriors insider, Hall of Famer, two-time Emmy award-winning Monty Poole.
I am Bonte Hill, and as I keep telling you guys, get moving towards better sleep by Mancini's Sleepworld.
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And before we dive into the Celtics game, Monty, I guess- Yeah the, the lens here that we're looking through the Warriors right now is they're three games under 500 and in 10th place in the Western Conference.
Now, they're gonna be in the play-in zone, and Steve Kerr mentioned that after the game tonight in Boston.
But now you're looking at maybe having a road game in Portland for the play-in game.
Portland won the season series.
They own the tiebreaker.
And they fall to 6 and 13 without Stephen Curry during- Yep this stretch as he's out with runner's knee.
And we'll get to Steph in just a second.
But just not good basketball, losing eight of their last 10, six of their last seven.
And look, you don't have the firepower.
You don't have the defense to slow down the Jaylen Brown and, and Jayson Tatum.
It's just tough times right now for the Golden State Warriors until they can get some guys back, including Stephen Curry, Al Horford, and the rest of the c- and then the rest of the crew.
But just a, just a rough night in Boston.
Rough night against the Celtics.
Yeah.
I mean, I think the, the loss was predictable, you know?
I mean, they were heavy underdogs, and we know how good Boston's been playing lately.
They were playing great before JT got back.
And now that he's back, they're still rolling.
So, then Jaylen Brown comes out and scores 19 in the first quarter, missing only one shot from the field in the first quarter.
Eight of nine.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And you know, a- and the funny thing is, is that the game starts Well, first of all, you know, two things happened good for the Warriors, I thought.
Obviously, the sight of Steph Curry getting up shots earlier in the day.
Boom.
Good.
We'll get to that later.
But the other thing is that this game started, in the first two minutes, you had KP bucking two shots- Mm-hmm hitting his first three, Draymond hitting his first three.
It's like, uh-oh, look at the Warriors trying to fight.
Look at the Warriors trying to come back on the Celtics.
All that did was woke up the Celtics.
Jaylen Brown said, "Hold up, guys.
We're not doing that.
We're not doing that."
Yep.
And so, over the course of the game, you watch the Warriors do what they've done too many times lately, man.
They get three ball happy, and it's like, what are you doing?
What are you doing?
Yeah.
I mean, nothing against Boston's interior defense, but Wimby ain't there.
Hakeem Olajuwon ain't there .
They hear you.
So, yeah.
Rudy Gobert ain't even there.
And so once again, the Warriors' best quarter of the game was the quarter in which they took the fewest threes.
Imagine that.
They took seven three-point shots in the s- second quarter- Yep and they battled the Celtics to a 27-27 tie.
They played defense and they attacked.
They shot, text notes, 90% in the paint in the second quarter.
Second quarter.
Yeah.
90%.
They were one for seven from three.
So I guess you're thinking, okay, you keep attacking and see what happens.
You know, see if, if Nemanjas Kweta can start rejecting some shots.
no.
They decided to go back to the threes.
And you know, I understand the philosophy here.
We need to shoot threes to stay in games.
But if they're inefficient threes, you're not staying in the game.
You're giving the game to the other team.
And it's like- Well, just stay though, Monty, because- Yeah it wasn't just threes they were missing.
They were missing wide open threes, warm-up threes.
They're actually generating great three-point looks.
True.
So as I hear you about attacking the paint, attacking the paint, because we discussed that ad nauseam, the Celtics do have the top team in the league when it comes to defending inside a perimeter.
They only give up 40-point paints a game.
So although they don't have a Wimby or a Hakeem Olajuwon or David Robinson or a Patrick Ewing, they defend the paint really well, which is why they're the top defensive team in the league.
And when we talk about attacking the basket, how many finishers do the Warriors really have when it comes to attacking the basket and finishing in the paint?
They probably lead the league in missed layups.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
'Cause we know they don't have a lot of good finishers.
Yeah.
So I hear you on the three-point shots and getting three-point heavy, but those are wide open looks that they gotta miss.
Like, Poole and Milton going a combined 3 of 17, and Milton could hit the backside of the barn, and he hasn't since the beginning of February.
Poole's was off.
Back-to-back struggles for him offensively.
So I hear you on that, attack the paint, attack the paint, but when they were attacking the paint in that second quarter, they also were generating good three-point looks, which is When you're six feet wide open or nobody's guarding you within six to 10 feet, I mean, a shot created is a shot you have to take, right?Well, I had a co- I have, I've had several coaches tell me that if it, if you can, if you find success, stay with it.
Yeah.
And 90% is success.
You know, if Boston's defense for- firms up and, you know, starts, you know, sending you back, okay.
But you're right, they've generated good open threes, but this is a team that on open three-point shots shoots right around 36%.
Yeah.
Which is not good.
That's, like, league average generally, not on open shots, you know?
And so just because you got an open shot, how much value does it have if you're not, if you can't make it?
Well, there's just- They're making barely one out of three.
Yeah, they're just not a good team right now, Monty.
That's why.
Well, terrible.
They're just- Terrible right now.
I know they are.
Terrible.
They're, they're just not a good team.
Like, I look at De'Anthony Melton, right, who has the player option, and who knows what he's gonna do.
We feel like he's gonna make more money, but if you look at what he's done over his last 14 games when he's played, he's shooting 29.4% from the three-point line.
That's your starting two guard right now.
Now, Moses Moody has been out.
He'll help with that three-point shooting.
But outside of that, you don't have Horford, you don't have Moody, you don't have the chef in Stephen Curry.
Yes, I get it, but those shots, again, are wide open.
And if you go to the paint, we talk about all the missed layups they have.
So even though they were getting to the paint in the second quarter, they're still down 13 going into the half.
So I just don't, I just think they were outmatched.
Most of that was because- Maybe it was Boston in the first quarter, though.
First quarter, yes, but then Boston came on.
First quarter was a tie.
Second quarter was a tie, but then it felt like- It was like 27.
Yeah, but Boston was up 20 at one point.
They were up 20 at one point.
Boston was up in the quarter.
They were up 20 by one, at one point in the second quarter, Monty.
27-20.
27-27.
I hear you.
That's what I'm saying.
I'm just saying that- No, I hear you it seems to me when you, when you find something that works, you would keep doing it.
Okay, you shoot 90% in the second quarter.
Maybe that's an outlier.
Maybe it's un You're gonna shoot 30% in the quar- inside the paint in the third quarter, but see if that happens.
Don't just say, "Okay, now we got, we got, you know, we had a good quarter, but let's go back to shooting threes."
The thing is the reliance on the three-ball, I get it when you have a team that really shoots threes well.
Yeah.
And some nights, the Warriors do, but most nights it's an, it's an e- it's an issue.
It's an effort.
And Steve Kerr's offense, is it really designed to just jack up threes?
No.
It, it, it, uh- Yeah, it's supposed to be designed to get the best shot.
Right.
But this is who they are.
They lead the league in three-pointed attempts per game.
True.
So that's not changing.
You know, this is who they are.
And I hear you on the point in the 27-27.
Yeah.
There was 3:56 left in the second quarter.
They were down 54 to 34.
So to me, in this basketball game, it was more about the Celtics doing what they do as opposed to the Warriors.
And if you don't make shots, you're not gonna beat championship-level teams.
They actually came out of halftime, too, scored six right away or six all around.
It was like, wow, they cut it to seven.
And then Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Payton Pritchard was like, "That's enough of that."
They're just better.
Like, like you don't feel- Come on.
Right.
No question.
So they're just, they're just so much better, and- No question and Monty, I hear you.
Trust me, we talk about the paint and everything, but on the flip side, you gotta hit some open shots.
These guys are That opening in the NBA, we watched the Celtics take those open shots.
They're knocking them down, right?
Right.
Very.
Senant's knocking them down.
Better.
The good teams knock them down.
Even the Lakers right now are knocking them down.
The Warriors don't have that talent right now, and it's unfortunate, but this is who they are.
Yeah.
They're a 10th place team in the Western Conference, and they're three games under .500.
So, you know, when it comes to paint and settling for threes, they've now got, boxed themselves in a position with 13 games to play that they gotta hustle just to get a home game for the play-in.
And that may be a 9, 10 game, although the Clippers did lose to the Pelicans as we're recording, so there's still hope to get the eighth spot.
But can you stay in that race for that eighth spot without Stephen Curry, who probably will return maybe against Brooklyn as he started some on-court work in Boston.
Maybe he comes back against the Wizards.
But until then, the Blazers have 12 games left, seven at home, five on the road, and they're ascending now with their guys getting healthier, while the Warriors, we don't know who's gonna play on any given night.
And the next set of games, that's a back-to-back.
So we know everybody ain't playing against Detroit, and who the hell is playing against Atlanta?
Detroit, number one in the East.
Yep.
Atlanta has won not one, not 10, not 11 straight games.
So that back-to-back is, what's the word?
Um- Treacherous?
That's cruel.
Daunting?
It's cruel.
It is mean.
It's wicked, you know?
To use a Boston term, it's wicked.
Oh, man.
So, I mean, it's very The thing is, it's, it's, you know, the Warriors, like I wrote, so despite sometimes when it looks like they're tanking, they're not tanking.
because first of all, they can't do enough tanking to fall out of the, the play-in tournament.
Yeah.
It's a virtual certainty that they're gonna be there.
It's not yet mathematically certain, but it will be soon enough.
Yep, yep.
They're gonna- Because the teams below them, none of those teams wanna go anywhere.
Mm-hmm.
So, and now you, you got Detroit and you got Atlanta.
It's like, I mean, I'm not gonna call it an O and two back-to-back, but I mean, that's kind of, that's what it smells like.
That's what it smells like, man.
The good thing is Atlanta's on the back end of a back-to-back that Saturday.
True.
They play Houston Friday.
Detroit, too.
And, you know- Yeah look, we know.
Let's just That game for both fan bases is a highly anticipated game, and we know why.
And we know that kid, John Kolangic, is gonna play in that game.
No matter what.
We hope.
He's, he's gonna play.
He's missed a few games.
You know, he's missed a few games, but word on the street is he's guaranteed to play in that game.Even if he has to sit out the game before, huh?
Right.
Exactly.
And we know the Warriors, they're gonna probably look at the schedule and say, "You know what?
Let's get a couple days off."
KP, chill out, just fly straight to Atlanta.
Draymond, fly straight to Atlanta.
We want that game against the Hawks on Saturday.
Is there a place they wanna go the night before the game or something?
Eh, I don't know about that.
I mean, there are some good wings in ATL, I know that.
That's a fact, Jack.
but, but seriously, buddy, like, I hear you on the three point shooting, and the inconsistencies of this offense is maddening.
Pods, he has a good stretch, then all of a sudden after the Knicks game, he's falling on hard times.
De'Anthony Melton, I just added the numbers there, you know, even his field goal percentage, he's only shooting 42%, his, since the start of February.
Um- Yeah, he had the one great game against the Wizards.
Yep, and- Against the Wizards exactly, and- The Wizards.
So I mean, we saw, as, who said?
Dalton Johnson said it on during our hit on the post-game show.
He goes, "Yeah, it's one thing to play the Wizards, but it's a whole new world playing the Boston Celtics."
Yeah.
And so even- True that KP, and look, Kristaps Porziis, I think he's moving very well.
That's a positive there.
Coming along.
But the- they, they made him look irrelevant as he went 4 and 13 from the floor, so there's a lot to figure out here, Monty, over the next 13 games.
Who do you wanna re-sign?
Horford and Melton's got player options, alongside Draymond Green.
Stephen Curry, he wants his front office to be aggressive.
He's gonna give it a go at the end of the season.
It's almost as if I'm ready to push fast-forward on the season to see what the off-season brings because I'm sorry, I know if they get healthy, are they really gonna scare OKC?
Are they really gonna scare San Antonio?
Like, look, we gotta be real with ourselves as Dub Nation, fans, media members.
This is just who they've been all season long.
And when you do it through 40 games, it's one thing.
When you do it through 60, and I get the Chef isn't there, but they're still getting ready good looks, Monty.
They're still getting good looks.
At some point it becomes a tal- talent thing and a talent issue.
Oh, it is a talent thing right now.
And, and, and, and also- For sure and also, how can you get in a rhythm when you've gone 13 straight games with 13 different starting line-ups?
Last year, Monty, they had 38 different starting line-ups.
You know how many they have this year?
36.
30, yeah.
So it's tough to gain traction as a basketball team when you're juggling guys in and out of the line-up.
And now, all of a sudden you're like, "Man, we may have to play a do or die game up in Portland."
It's just tough times for the Warriors right now, man, and, and the, and the sun won't come out until Stephen Curry comes back, which is a good sign that he's warming up, before games now, and he's inching closer and closer to returning.
Yeah.
I just, when I look at this road trip, you know, I think we knew how tough it was going in.
You know, you're playing the top teams in the East.
And you beat the teams Y- y- you, you probably can beat the Wizards, which they did, and the Mavericks too.
The Mavericks aren't going, they ain't trying to do anything either.
You know.
Yeah.
They've given up on the season too, so- Yeah that should be a W too.
That should be a W. Yeah.
but Steve Kerr, after the game in Boston, talked about building good habits.
Yeah.
Not seeing too much of that.
No.
You know, some of the defense, some of the defensive liability stuff is like, what are you doing?
Yeah.
You know, people losing their man and people getting caught up in, "Well, back door, too late now."
You know, I mean- Yeah.
So list- take a listen to Steve, what he said after the game about just what this team One, you know the play-in tournament's com- the play-in tournament's coming.
Mm-hmm.
That's where you're gonna end up.
And two, you gotta build better habits to have a chance that when Steph comes back, when Seth comes back- Yeah when Al comes back, when Mos If those four guys come back for the last eight, 10 games, okay, they wanna come back to a team that at least is doing some good stuff.
Mm-hmm.
And right now, you're not getting that.
Check out what Steve had to say about it.
well, they made a couple threes, got it back to 12, 13, whatever it was, and, we, you know, we never really were quite in the game.
I thought we did a lot of things well offensively.
got a lot of good looks.
it just was a night where shots didn't go down.
I think we've gotta be a lot better defensively.
some game plan mistakes early.
f- a lot of fouling, at the beginning of the third quarter got us in trouble.
And what I'm most interested in right now is can we prepare ourselves for the play-in?
Like, I mean, we're gonna be in the play-in, we know that, and one way or the other.
So we gotta prepare.
We have to be prepared for when we get guys back, when Steph's back, and Moses, and Al.
We If we're prepared when they get back, we can do some damage, and we can go on a run, but we can't have game plan mistakes.
we've gotta build better habits.
You know, boxing out, taking care of the ball in transition, being more efficient in transition, that sort of thing.
our guys are playing hard.
I'm really proud of them.
like I said, shots didn't go tonight, but what, what I'm most interested in is our process, and I thought, it, it was lacking in some areas tonight, and we gotta tighten some things up.
Tonight might not have been the best example, but do you feel like in the past few weeks you guys have been taking steps toward getting prepared for the play-in?
w- you know, one step forward, one step back.
I don't think we're there yet.
I think y- it, it's gonna take more than what, what we're showing right now.
I think our guys are playing hard, but it's easy to get discouraged when you don't have the firepower, that we're missing right now because it, it kinda feels like you have to be perfect.
And, it's a hard thing to, um-To, you know, play through 48 minutes where, you know, you don't have, the, the shot making, the, the explosiveness to go on a huge run, so you, you're constantly having to do the right thing.
So if we handle this the right way and we sharpen those things up, we can be finely tuned for the play-in.
But, like I said, the effort's there but the execution is not yet.
How much have you kind of openly discussed that idea that, you know, the play-in with your guys, and then also is it an odd situation to be in, you know, with more than a month to go basically in the season but you've known for a while, like, you know, you maybe not know exactly what seed- Right but you kind of know you're not going down and not really going far.
Yeah, I mean, we've had our eyes on six for, you know, for a while, and that's, that's out of the question now.
I mean, we're not getting there.
And so, if we, if we can string together some wins, you know, try to get to eight, that'd be ideal.
Get two cracks at it.
but, you know, we're not getting to seven.
We know that.
so I've been talking about this theme, not, not in, not in such precise words like I just used.
but over the last few weeks I've been telling the guys, we have to, to build our habits and have and be ready for when, we get guys healthy again.
And, 'cause then we can just, you know, really, have the firepower that, can be complemented by a foundation of good, good habits, good, good fundamentals.
And like I said, I think there's a lot of stuff we can improve upon and but at the, the, at the basis, the base of all that is your spirit, energy, confidence.
and we gotta, we gotta work on that too.
So when you look at it like that, it's like when I watch them play offense and guys are taking quick shots in the shot clock and not a good shot sometimes, fine.
If it's a quick shot but it's an open shot, that can be good.
But to me, if you miss your first two or three threes, maybe get, get a layup or something to get you a f- the ball go through the hoop.
Don't just keep casting away.
And so that's what we've seen too much this season.
I'm gonna go back again to those two games that they lost early on that last road trip.
Yep.
Oklahoma City and Utah.
Yep.
now again, nobody expected them to beat OKC, but it was a winnable game for the Warriors if they played smarter.
Yep.
Utah.
Nobody expected Utah to beat the Warriors.
It was a winnable game if the Warriors played smarter.
Got back in the game in the third quarter, and then the fourth quarter said, "No, we're not doing that anymore."
Mm-hmm.
So it went back to the launching threes, launching threes.
They shot themselves out of a game.
There are guys in the NBA who you look at and say, this guy can shoot you into a game- Right or out of a game.
And the Warriors went to Utah and shot themselves out of the game in the fourth quarter.
Yep.
So these things, these are not good habits.
No, they're not.
And to see it happen again to a degree in the second quarter against Boston, it's like, what are we really trying to accomplish here?
So, I think these next few games, you know, the best thing about these next two games, they're gonna play teams that they know they're not supposed to beat.
And maybe that'll free their minds a little bit.
I don't know.
I, I- But nobody's gonna the Windows two games.
Well, the Steve Kerr sound, he was visibly frustrated.
Visibly frustrated because he discussed shoot around and he goes, "We had three breakdowns in the first quarter alone."
And the way Jaylen Brown said, "You know what?
I'm gonna go eight for nine in the first quarter.
But just like the first game with these two teams back at Chase Center, I'm gonna settle for one three, and I'm gonna go to the cup on y'all."
Mm-hmm.
And boy, they had to get pods off for Jaylen Brown.
I, it, it was just, it was a mismatch.
And that's tough, that's tough ask for pods.
Jaylen Brown's playing at an MVP level.
He did whatever the hell he wanted to do today.
Post, fade away, I'ma go to the cup and one, I'm just gonna punk y'all.
And then you get Jayson Tatum dropping a double-double.
He had his most efficient game since he's been back from the Achilles injury.
And again, they combined for 56 and your starter scored 52.
And so, you know, smart basketball, good basketball, it just was not good It was bad, it was bad hoops today.
And you know what?
Even against the Wizards, 'cause we recorded a podcast after the Wizards game.
Steve said it, and I think we said it on the post game, and I think we said it on the podcast, I don't remember, but you look at that game, he's saying it was a six-point game under four minutes against the Washington Wizards, a team that's not trying to win.
You watch Juju Reese, the brother of Angel Reese in the WNBA, you're like, how, how's this dude on an NBA court?
But, you know, as much we, as much as we lauded Porziis for his game and Melton being back, it was the Washington Wizards.
Yes.
And they had some bad habits in that game alone.
So even against the bad teams, we saw last week, you brought up Utah, did the back end of the back-to-back against Chicago, where you blow an eight-point lead in 91 seconds to a team that's not even trying to win.
They've told us who they are, especially without Stephen Curry.
Mm-hmm.
Six and 13 without Steph.
Yep.
And they haven't been the same team since Jimmy Butler has torn his ACL.
So despite Jimmy being on the trip and Steph being on the trip, he's not playing good enough basketball.
It's just inconsistent right now.
One guy who is consistent, real quick money, GP2.
Yep.
Terry being the second in line for some new cash too.
He's playing very good basketball- He's playing good basketball on both ends of the floor.
And you hope that can carry over, like you said, once Steph gets back and Horford gets back, which, you know, right calf strain for mid mild calf strain for a guy who's 40, that worries me a bit.
He's not 40 yet.
Not 40 yet.
Excuse me.
He's almost He's knocking on the door.
He's knocking on the door.
Yes, he is.
He's knocking on I mean, he, he was playing like he was 35.
Yeah.
34.
Yeah.
But, you know, he's, he's knocking on Yeah, he's on the other side, so-I, I don't know, Monty, but, like, when we look at the long-term view of this season, and Steph wants to play, which we all knew, and they're gonna make it a push for this play-in tournament, it just feels like, ah, what, what could you grasp onto for the rest of the year with 13 games left?
Because we know Steph is gonna be Steph, and we know him and Kur- I don't worry about him and Porziis, but you gotta make a decision on Porziis.
And you have all these player options, but one of these young players need to pop and be assertive.
Who can I take into the future with me?
Guy Santos?
Yep.
Not a starter, but on your team, yes.
You want him on your team.
He's playing well.
He's playing well.
What about Moses Moody?
Not a starter, but you want him on your team.
Brandon Podziemski?
Not a starter.
I think with Brandon, here's the issue I have, and with Moses a little bit too, is defensively they're not as good as they need to be.
Yep.
You know, I mean, Brandon, I, I'm not sure who, who he can guard.
Yeah.
In, ooh, in the league.
I, I don't You know, and I know there's times when he tries, and it's just he gets beat nine times out of 10.
Moses gets beat seven times out of 10.
And, you know, I know Moses has a great, you know, he's got the l- wingspan and all of that, but, you know, his lateral movement gets caught, gets him caught sometimes, and it costs him.
So the, the Warriors are already, they're already into this.
They're in the evaluation phase with all these guys, and they should be.
Yeah.
Who do you keep next year?
Who do you move on from?
And so we're back to where they were before the trade deadline.
Okay, who's untouchable?
Yeah.
One guy.
Yep.
Well, two guys, I guess.
You gotta, you got, you wanna count Jimmy.
But- Jimmy and Viola one guy, Steph.
Everybody else is touchable.
I mean, I think they'd like to think that Porziis will fall into their lap at a, at an affordable price.
Mm-hmm.
Which is possible.
And I think if you're the Warriors and you gotta choose between Porzi- Porziis and Melton, you probably lean toward Porziis only because he's such a unique player that he would be harder to replace- Mm-hmm than Melton would be.
I mean, Melton's good for you.
He's good for this team.
But Porziis gives them a whole different dimension.
Yep.
And the que- the only question with him, of course, is, is health.
You know- Yeah how many games can he give you?
Can he give you 60- No doubt 65 games?
No doubt.
If he can, you do that.
No doubt.
I Look, we It's funny, the Moody thing, because I remember bringing that up on our early podcast early in the season, maybe even before the season.
It's like, look, his lateral movement against quick guards or wings, I, I think at times defensively he is a solid defender, but at the point of attack he gets blown by a lot.
And I love Moses Moody.
Same.
He, he's, his IQ is there.
Yep.
He knows where to be, but sometimes your ability to do it- Yeah is just not there.
Foot speed.
People laughed at me.
Foot speed.
People laughed at me.
It's like, what are you talking about?
And then we see the season play out once again.
You can't have Moses Moody guard Jaylen Brown.
No.
You saw that in the first game.
It was a mismatch.
Yeah.
Now, Jaylen Brown's a mismatch for a lot of players.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But, but even the Payton Prichards at times, they get their way against a guy like Moses Moody.
So it's not to dump on Moses Moody, but this Warriors team, and even Jaylen Brown would add De'Anthony Melton at times, they don't have It's the same issues we've been talking about all season, and we're watching it play out on this road trip.
Point of attack defenders, they lack that.
Rim protection at times, Porziis is in there, Horford, they can block some shots, but point of attack defense and not blowing defensive assignments, like solid team defense, who's guarding the weak side?
Who's got the short side corner?
When to double, when not to double, when to trap.
They're blowing backdoor cuts left and right, and you're like, "What the hell is going on around here?"
Yeah.
Are they paying attention in the film room?
So when you, to your point, the evaluation process has started.
So there is something good in these 13 games.
Who you wanna roll with in the future?
How do you wanna build this team around Stephen Curry?
'Cause it sounds like they're gonna do it one more time and shake the dice one more time to try to build a good roster around number 30, Stephen Curry.
But it's the same old issues, Monty.
Bad shot selection, blown defensive assignments.
I mean, it, it's- It's turnovers turnovers, it's bad- Maybe it's turnovers.
Oh, turnovers.
Well, you know what?
Risky passes.
The turnovers have actually been down recently.
Well, except for when they, when it's crunch time.
So- Or one bad quarter.
Yeah.
Like against Boston, they had 11 turnovers.
Yeah.
Right?
Yeah.
That's good for them.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The next game, you're right.
Yeah.
The second quarter, nine turnovers.
They had nine turnovers, turnovers in a quarter.
In a quarter.
In New York.
In a quarter.
In a quarter.
So it's hard to do.
So it's still, it's still an issue that they fight every game.
Some games they win the fight, a lot of games they lose the fight, and it's still a problem.
So, you know, we know, th- this Warriors roster is bottom 10 in the NBA right now.
That's all there is to it.
You don't know when you got, you know, K- Porziis, you know, when he, when he's out there, you maybe, he lifts them up maybe to the middle of the pack, when he and Draymond are together.
That's the first time they started together was a- against- the Celtics.
Yeah.
And like I said, it started off like, uh-oh, we got something here.
You know, KP knocking shots, Draymond hitting a three, KP hitting a three, and then, the rest of the night it was kind of like, eh, nothing.
A 10-0 run.
Yeah.
10-0 run right there in the first quarter- Yeah for the Celtics.
So it's, it, it, they look like a lottery team except when May 10th rolls around, they won't have a ping pong ball.
Wow.
You know?
And wanting to build good habits, here you are, 80% of the season is over.
If you have, if you're building good habits, they shouldn't be built by now.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying, Monty.
That's why, that's why- They built by now.
Dude, that's why it's- They are who they are yeah, exactly.
That's why it's tough for me- Yeah to rip on them for settling for three point shots because this is what they doThis is what they do Go down, go down fighting and go down swinging.
Live and die by the three.
Keep missing, huh?
Yep, live and die by the three.
But the worst part about it is, Monty, these threes are wide open.
Yeah.
They're wide open.
Yeah, gotta take them.
You gotta take them.
They're wide op- like, remember the Memphis game that we showed.
Was it the What game was that?
It was the Pelicans game that they lost a couple weeks ago on the road in New Orleans.
We had a breakdown on the pregame show of how many open three-point shots they missed against the Pelicans.
Yeah.
And remember that?
It was, like, six foot pl- six plus feet or above in terms of space.
They were gonna Yeah.
Yeah.
They were terrible.
Yeah.
I mean, them dudes was, like, 16 feet off these guys and they were still clanking them.
So I, I- They're not a good shooting team.
They're not a good shooting team.
So- When Steph's there, he can mask over some of that, but they're not a good shooting team.
You know, before we end the podcast- And the Currys, the Currys have never been more valuable.
Never been more valuable.
I mean, Monty- If they come back and start shooting, you know, the d- offense looks totally different.
I know your answer to this, Monty.
Uh-oh.
But I'm gonna ask you the question anyway.
As you mentioned, 33 and 36, 69 games into the season.
If you had to grade this season, A through F, what would your grade be through 69 games?
it, it's, it's kinda hard, because you gotta consider what's happened.
Yeah.
I'm giving the t- the current roster, C minus.
I'm giving the roster before Jimmy went down and Steph went down, just before Jimmy went down, because that's Steph went down then a few days later.
So, that team was in eighth place.
that's, to me, they needed to be higher than that.
So I'm giving them, I'm giving that a C minus too.
Yeah.
You know, I mean, they, they opened the season up about top four.
And then they said, "Okay, well, top six."
And now they're talking about, "Can we get to eight?"
Yeah.
Plus they're 10th.
So it's been a steady decline over the course of the season.
And yes, part of A huge part of it is obviously the roster.
When you lose Jimmy, that's, you lose your two best players.
Yeah.
And so you- Yeah no team's gonna be the same after that.
If Boston loses Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, let's see what Joe Mazzulla can do with that, you know?
So it's a, it's, I don't wanna be too hard on them, but I think they were, they, they were, they were underachieving in the f- in eighth place before Jimmy went down.
Yeah.
They had just started to look like, okay, here's the team we thought they could be, and then Jimmy goes down.
And since then they've been They're eight and 17 since Jimmy went down.
Yeah.
And so- Yep you know, and I've given them a C minus only because I know that they don't have a whole lot to work with.
Yep.
So what are you giving them?
It's a great question, because they had won 12 of 16 with Jimmy before that injury.
But as you mentioned, they didn't make any ground up.
They were still in eighth place.
Now, you're hoping that they can descend and go on a run like they did last season when Jimmy was acquired.
That's possible, totally possible.
If Jimmy's in the lineup and then you bring in Kristaps Porziis, oh, wow, this looks different.
Yep.
I'm gonna be a little harsher than you.
Get it.
Because of the way everything has unfolded, the way the Kuminga situation was handled by both sides, not just the Warriors, but Kuminga's party as well.
You know, question whether or not he should've even been on the roster when you tipped off to open the season up in LA.
Now, he played well in the first few games, and then we know what happened.
The injuries, the shot selection, the turnovers, the games they've lost, to Milwaukee without Giannis, to Indiana they didn't have a win, to Houston without KD, to Minnesota without Anthony Edwards, the back-to-back against Utah, Chicago.
The list goes on and on and on with this basketball team.
I'm gonna give them a D, a D for disappointment, 'cause it's been a disappointing season when you think about the expectations before the season and where we're currently at right now, watching this basketball team be in 10th place in the Western Conference and potentially facing, you know, a do or die game at Portland right off the rip.
Yeah.
Then if they win that, you gotta go to Phoenix or LA and take on the LA Clippers.
Now, there's still hope they can snatch the A spot.
Yeah.
Kawhi did come back in this game, but they got blown out by the Pelicans as we're recording this podcast.
But for me, Monty, three games under .500, everything that's transpired, some of the inconsistent play from not only youngsters, but veterans as well, I'm giving them a D. I gave them a C minus, and it would've been a D if not for that little spurt before Jimmy went down.
I feel that.
I mean, I, I saw them starting to make a move, and, and when Jimmy went down, everything changed.
So, I'll stick with a C minus, because up until- Yeah up until No- Christmas, rough- roughly the holidays, yeah, they were a D. And I, I'll give them a C minus because they were starting to show signs of, okay, yeah, they were still in eighth place, but you saw then those good habits you talk about.
You talk about playing smart.
Mm-hmm.
The turnovers were down, you know, and so, defense was better.
but on the whole- Yeah the roster they have right now is, it, it's- Right the ceiling is very low.
Yeah.
So I'm giving them a C, C minus.
And I, and I factor in coaching.
I didn't mention it, but for me, Monty, in my grade, I factor in coaching too.
There's been su- like, for example, the Chicago game.
All right, if you're not gonna play Draymond in the final, what was it, 8:31, I forget the timing of it, but he basically played the last few minutes, fouls Jalen Smith, you go to overtime.
He opened up overtime, Steve Kerr, with Kristaps Porziis and four guys 6'4" and under.And the Bulls were like a plus 20 on the glass.
They, I think they ended up plus 18 or plus 15.
Yep.
Went to the paint, same number.
It's like, wait, the Bulls are s- longer, more athletic, and you come out with a four guard lineup in that overtime?
And there's been plenty of examples of that, of trying to got the right lineups.
So, I think coaching wise it's been disappointing.
Obviously the record is disappointing at this point.
Now, it could flip.
There's 13 games left.
But at this point as we look at them get outmatched and outcoached and just outclassed by the Boston Celtics.
Come on, man, they had no chance against the Celtics.
They weren't gonna win that game.
They weren't, but it felt like the T- Celtics were just toying with them.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, you know, that, that's You know, and, and it's not just the Celtics game on this road trip.
You have a really good game in New York City, now you blew a 21-point lead and turned the ball over nine times in the second quarter, but you didn't look good against the Wizards.
No, you guys won.
You know?
You guys won, that's all.
You just won.
That's what matters.
Nothing to brag home about, it's just the Wizards.
You know?
Paramount Kyle could tell you all about the Wizards.
He could tell you all about the Wizards.
Oh, my God.
Got his 83.
So three left on this road trip.
Detroit, who may not have Cade Cunningham, by the way.
Right.
Left the game.
Um- Yep.
And then of course Atlanta, the big one in the ATL.
If you got any thoughts on that before we end this podcast.
Well, who's gonna guard Jalen Johnson?
Yeah.
Well, nobody could.
Nobody could at Chase Center.
I mean, that dude has quickly become a top 25 player in this league.
Oh, he's fun to watch, Monty.
I mean, he's scoring, he's play-making.
Yeah.
He's rebounding.
Yep.
I mean, man, they got a, they got a dude in Atlanta.
They got a dude.
They got a dude.
Yeah.
And so I mean, when you trade Trae Young, who, who I never really believed in anyway as a guy who was gonna take you very high- I'm with you but, but now you got Jalen Johnson, you gotta That, that's your guy right there, man.
Yeah.
And so you surround him with guys who can play a little bit, you know, CJ McCollum, he's up and down, but when CJ is on, he's a solid two guard.
you know, I like, Okongwu, a nice big man in the middle, shoots a three.
How about Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Woo, 41 points the other night.
At 38 and a half percent from the three-point line, you think Minnesota misses him?
Little bit.
Yeah, just a little bit.
And by the way, the Warriors, they beat the Wizards, and Trae Young basically got iced out- Yeah didn't play the fourth quarter due to a quad injury.
Jalen Johnson, we got to see him at Chase Center.
Oh, my gosh, 23, 10 rebounds, eight assists he's averaging on the season.
He is hooping, and he was the best player on the floor in that game against the Dubs.
You mentioned Nickeil Alex- Alexander-Walker, 20 a game, three and a half rebounds, three and a half assists.
I mean, McCollum's playing well for them.
Okongwu, like you said, he, he can make the three.
He made seven threes in that game- Nice play in that game, and, and we all went crazy for Kuminga, but Okongwu hit seven threes in that game.
Yep.
He's hooping right now.
I mean, Dyson Daniels.
Hooping.
Yep, yep.
I mean- A good team this is Huh?
It's a good team.
It's a good team.
They won the last game against the Lakers.
You gotta get them now, like the Warriors were when- Yep before Jimmy went down, because they were pretty terrible the first two months of the season.
Yep.
Yep.
And Jalen was missing, was out for a while, and so now they're getting guys back and healthy, and they're rolling.
I mean, 11 straight wins, I don't care who you are, that's nothing to laugh at.
No, 11 straight wins, and right now in the Eastern Conference they are in eighth place, tied with the Miami Heat for seventh in the East.
One game in the loss column behind the Orlando Magic, two back of the Toronto Raptors.
So Atlanta, looking at what they're doing right now, and we've been speak on Buddy Hield, who's not playing much for them, but Jonathan Kuminga, who's fit in well with them, he's actually rebounding down there in Atlanta.
Yep.
Can you believe that?
He's rebounding the ball very well.
he's fit in.
He's fit in off the bench.
He's letting the game come to him.
He looks happy.
I had a Warriors coach tell me, couple weeks ago they said, "Man, I haven't seen him smile like that in four months."
Yeah.
Which, you know, tells you about- We all know why.
Yeah, we know why.
We know why.
Yeah.
But that's gonna be, that's- This money was supposed to make him happy.
He got paid.
No.
That wasn't gonna be it.
No, no.
So look, man, they That's a good team.
Yeah.
But this is a treacherous back-to-back for the Golden State Warriors against Detroit and Atlanta, so three games under .500.
What's the grade you're giving them, Dub Nation?
Go ahead, comment on our YouTube page.
Yeah.
Well, we, we know.
Go ahead and comment.
I will not be reading the comments.
Maybe I will.
Maybe.
maybe I will.
I, I, I like the entertainment.
Monty, I mean, next time I see you this road trip will be over.
Actually I'll see you- Yeah in studio for pre and post-game live, I believe Friday and Saturday, correct?
Next time we get together for the Dubs Talk podcast will be next week.
Next week.
So the road trip will be over, and who knows?
Maybe they'll be back at 500.
There's a chance.
See?
Look at you.
What I do, right?
You play me right, man.
What I do?
Yeah.
See?
See?
What I do?
See?
What I do?
What I do.
All right, man.
I need some sleep.
Monty needs some sleep.
We need rest.
Yeah.
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Shop at Manatee Sleep World.
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Tell 'em Monty or Bonte sent you, or visit 'em online at sleepworld.com.
Have a good night, everybody, as the Dubs get blown out in Boston.
They're now 33 and 36, in 10th place in the Western Conference.
We'll talk to y'all Monday.
Or, or excuse me, Tuesday, on the Dubs Talk podcast.
