Less than two weeks ago the Golden State Warriors were flying, sitting atop the Western Conference with a 12-3 record that saw them as one of the biggest surprises in the NBA.
Since then the Warriors have fallen into a five-game losing streak, the last of which came in a 119-115 defeat to the Denver Nuggets after leading by 11 in the fourth-quarter. They've quickly slid to sixth in the West standings, and with an incredibly difficult December schedule and sitting only 1.5 games ahead of the 11th-seed, the signs are ominous that Golden State could fall further.
The Warriors bench has shifted from huge strength to major problem
The initial success was born from a rejuvenation of the "strength in numbers" approach, with Steve Kerr leaning on a deep rotation that saw production from so many players across the roster. Through the first 15 games the Warrior bench was annihilating teams on both ends of the floor, led by veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield who was appearing an inspired offseason acquisition.
Golden State ranked third in bench net rating through the first month of the season, sitting only behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder. They were first in bench scoring, while also recording the most rebounds, the most steals, and ranking second in assists behind the Memphis Grizzlies.
Yet since then the Warrior bench has dramatically shifted from a major advantage to a big problem. They've slid from third in net rating to 27th across the last five games, playing a critical role in the losing streak Golden State now find themselves on.
No one has characterized the turnaround more than Hield who's cooled off significantly after his lightning start. The veteran sharpshooter had 20 points or more in six of his first seven games, but has failed to reach that mark since while having only three games of more than 12 points in his last 12 appearances.
With Hield failing to provide anywhere near the same offensive firepower, the Warrior bench has struggled mightily on that end of the floor. They simply don't have enough shooters, natural scorers or experienced facilitators to find efficient offense, resulting in the second-worst field-goal percentage in the league over the last five games.
Where the Warriors were previously lauded for their enormous depth, they're now being criticized for not providing Stephen Curry with enough support in the way of another go-to scorer. It's a concern many had raised prior to the season, with that now lifting to the surface in an issue the franchise quickly needs to address one way or another.