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The double-edged factor playing a big role in the Golden State Warriors’ struggles

By Peter O'Keefe

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors stands on court during their game against the Miami Heat at Chase Center on October 27, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors stands on court during their game against the Miami Heat at Chase Center on October 27, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors know all too well the power of player health in winning an NBA championship — they lost the 2019 Finals due to injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, then had a league-worst record the following season.

Teams’ title chances can often be decimated by one significant injury to a key player, but in one small silver lining, it does give teammates (and the team as a whole) the opportunity to stand up and relish greater opportunities.

Strangely enough, the Golden State Warriors’ relatively clean bill of health could be contributing to their underwhelming stretch of form to open the season.

Head coach Steve Kerr has often mentioned the challenge of balancing a roster where 11-12 players truly believe they should be playing. Who would have thought, nearly ten games into the season, that last year’s lottery pick, Jonathan Kuminga, would be stapled to the sidelines and out of the rotation?

Golden State Warriors’ forward Jonathan Kuminga is presently out of Steve Kerr’s rotation. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors’ forward Jonathan Kuminga is presently out of Steve Kerr’s rotation. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Looking back to the 2020-21 season, the Warriors played their best basketball once their hand was forced into an eight-man rotation — Stephen Curry, Kent Bazemore, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Jordan Poole, Juan Toscano-Anderson and yes, even Mychal Mulder.

Injuries to James Wiseman and Kelly Oubre Jr., on top of Thompson’s absence, meant Kerr was restricted to that above eight-man group. While they did lose both play-in games, it was well-noted that they finished the season strongly with a 15-5 record in their final 20 games.

Even last season, Thompson’s continued recovery opened up the chance for Poole to become one of the most-improved players in the league, a fact also aided by Curry’s late season ankle issue. Poole held a starting role without the Warriors needing to go small or harm their defense with a three-guard lineup, even if that proved effective at times when all three were available.

Most bemoaned the fact that Golden State, without Wiseman for the whole season, failed to have another genuine center behind Looney on the roster. But don’t tell me he didn’t relish the opportunity to play every single game, ultimately leading to a career-best season for the three-time champion.

Now, short of a current hamstring injury to Donte DiVincenzo, the Warriors are fully stocked and ready to fire. Yet it’s the opposite, a 3-6 record plagued by embarrassing defense and losses to teams more interested in drawing better lottery odds.

Next. “Everybody’s going to get a chance” – Kerr signals change after embarrassing Warriors loss. dark

So, while you need continuity and an injury-free roster to win, it can also form headaches for a talented team most pencilled as a championship-contender . This isn’t advocating or hoping for any kind of injury, but simply identifying the challenge Kerr has in finding the correct combinations with a plethora of options available.

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