Golden State Warriors desperately need consistency from their bench

Sunday’s 127-120 win over the Houston Rockets saw the Golden State Warriors secure their first road win of the season. Stephen Curry continued his sensational start to the season, tallying 33 points, six rebounds and 15 assists across 37 minutes of action. However, it was Klay Thompson who stole the show with a 41-point explosion on 10-13 shooting from three-point range. It was a much-needed re-calibration for Thompson who hadn’t previously shot over 50% from the field in any game this season.

It was a vintage performance for the splash-bros and a refreshing sight for Warriors fans, but even in victory, many of the Warriors’ glaring issues reared their ugly heads.

The Golden State Warriors’ starting lineup continues to boast one of the best net ratings in the NBA, but few players on the bench have done enough to earn the trust of Steve Kerr.

At the height of their dynasty, the Warriors’ motto was “Strength in Numbers”. Players like Shaun Livingston, Leandro Barbosa and Festus Ezeli fortified the Dubs’ bench, providing quality minutes when the first unit needed a breather. Even last season, the Warriors’ championship run partly hinged on the play of guys like Otto Porter Jr, Gary Payton II and Nemanja Bjelica.

It’s a different story this year as Golden State’s second unit is largely defined by youth and inexperience. This is making it incredibly difficult for coach Kerr to pinpoint optimal lineups outside his starting five. The young guys have had a tough time adjusting to larger roles, while the new additions have struggled to fit in. Even Jordan Poole, who was expected to spearhead the Warrior bench, has seemingly suffered a setback of his own.

James Wiseman, who was recently assigned to the Warriors’ G-League affiliate, struggled to find his footing as the backup center during the early stages of the season. The former first-overall pick oftentimes found himself either out of position defensively, or unfamiliar with many of the Warriors’ unique offensive sets.

The same could be said about the Warriors’ 2021 draftees, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, who’ve each seen their minutes significantly decrease since the beginning of the year. Moody’s Summer League performance suggested he had the tools to be a great 3-and-D guy, but so far his defense has been shoddy and he’s shooting a pedestrian 33.3% from deep. Jonathan Kuminga has shown tremendous flashes on both ends of the floor, but like many of his teammates, the 20-year-old has been plagued by inconsistency.

There is no questioning the talent level of the Warriors’ young guys, but their erratic play has been detrimental to the success of the group as a whole. Curry’s early-season play rivals that of his unanimous MVP season back in 2016, but his superhuman efforts haven’t been enough to overcome the lack of help from his supporting cast.

Golden State is currently in the envious position of trying to balance its championship core with its new generation of young talent. So far, that task has proven to be more difficult than expected. Younger players typically require a lot of reps in order to develop a rhythm, but the coaching staff must be willing to live with the inevitable mistakes.

The problem is, the Warriors are looking to defend their championship — one of the hardest things to do in the NBA. Their nucleus, Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green, are all entering their twilight years and the Warriors cannot afford to those waste those away in attempt to foster their youth.

"“It can only last so long,” head coach Steve Kerr told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “We know this isn’t going forever. This could be the last year, maybe next year is the last year. We’re in the final stages. We know that. We want to make the most of it.”"

The starters are pulling their weight, but if the bench cannot get their act together sooner than later, the trade deadline may prove to be busier than expected for the defending champs.