The Golden State Warriors battled the Los Angeles Clippers in a crucial game to clinch a playoff berth and avoid the Play-in tournament on Sunday, but unfortunately they came up short both literally and physically.
Not for the first time against the Warriors, Ivica Zubac had a big performance with 22 points and 17 rebounds. Paired with James Harden's 39 points and Kawhi Leonard's 33 points, it was just enough to take down the Warriors in overtime and send the hosts spiralling to a play-in matchup against the Memphis Grizzles for the seventh-seed.
The Warriors' lack of size was brutally exposed against the Clippers
The 124-119 score would suggest that this must've been a close game by every metric. However, in the rebounding category, that couldn't be further from the truth. The Warriors front court got absolutely OBLITERATED on the boards, with Los Angeles grabbing 42 team rebounds compared to Golden State's 25. It wasn't the first time that's happened and unfortunately, it likely won't be the last.
Zubac had one more offensive rebound by himself than the Warriors did as a team, and the Clippers' six more offensive boards was crucial given seven more field-goal attempts was arguably the difference in such a tight game.
It's apparent that the Warriors must make a change in the offseason to address the frontcourt's overall lack of size and rebounding ability. This current Golden State group has arguably been amongst the most versatile that the organization has seen since the early days of the the dynasty era. yet none of that matters if they don't have size to match a league that seems to be getting taller and more gifted by the year.
Despite Draymond Green's continued excellence on the defensive end at his age, continuing to start a 6'6'' power-forward at center can't possibly be the solution to stopping these other teams from dominating the boards.
So, if that's not the answer, then what is? Quinten Post's immense shooting ability with his 7'0'' frame has been incredibly valuable, but is it sustainable enough to warrant moving him into that full-time starter role?
Could Trayce Jackson-Davis start receiving significant minutes again? At his best, he's someone who's been shown to hold even some the league's most potent scorers to below average numbers at times. Perhaps it's time to start photoshopping other players around the league in Warriors uniforms.
The answer isn't clear, but there are options. If the Warriors want to continue to contend and maintain their status as a serious threat in the Western Conference and avoid yet another play-in situation next year, they must make a tough decision in the offseason. One thing is for certain, this team probably should look a little different come training camp in October.