Since Stephen Curry fell victim to a groin injury, the Golden State Warriors have been in a rut.
The Golden State Warriors haven’t been looking like their usual selves. The season started off with a fiery 8-game win streak which brought them to an overall league-best record of 10-and-1. Now, just a few weeks later, the Dubs have a 12-7 record and are fifth in the Western Conference.
The slump started with a 134-111 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Things only got worse when the Warriors went on to lose to the Los Angeles Clippers in an overtime thriller. This defeat stung more than the others, as the aftermath of Draymond Green and Kevin Durant‘s in-game altercation is still affecting the team.
A quick 121-116 victory over the Atlanta Hawks subdued the mayhem for a moment, but things would quickly get worse. Since then, the Warriors have lost four straight games. This is the most consecutive games the Dubs have lost since Steve Kerr became the head coach in the 2014-15 NBA season.
Furthermore, the Warriors have been losing these games by a wide margin. On average, the Dubs have lost each game by 16 points. This is the largest margin of defeat that the Warriors have dealt with over a four-game stretch during their dynasty era.
Tonight, Golden State is set to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers are having a solid year and are currently sitting in second place in the West. Their leader, Damian Lillard, is averaging 26.4 points and 6.1 assists per game. As a result, Lillard has forced his name into early MVP conversations.
This matchup will certainly be a tough one for the Warriors, but a victory here would do wonders for their morale. Wins have been tough to come by and beating a worthy opponent such as the Trail Blazers would be extremely satisfying.