For the Golden State Warriors, in an embarrassing 144-93 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, it seemed as though almost nothing went right.
Quick switches and rapid ball movement from the Grizzlies befuddled the Warrior defense, and sloppy play on offense from Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins led to a multitude of turnovers.
Most notably, however, there was an almost complete lack of presence, let alone production, from star point guard Stephen Curry. He had only two points the entire night, going 0-for-7 on field goals in 24 minutes on the floor.
The Dennis Schroder-Stephen Curry pairing looked uncomfortable
When the Warriors acquired Dennis Schröder earlier this week from the Brooklyn Nets, it was unclear whether he would start in the shooting guard slot left vacant by De'Anthony Melton's season-ending injury. However, multiple comments from head coach Steve Kerr, including an indicated desire to increase their pick-and-roll game on offense, quickly indicated that Schröder would be taking on this role.
The team knew, in making this decision, that Schröder's game was not a perfect match for the Warriors existing offensive structure, which relies mostly on Curry's ball-handling and shooting abilities to space the floor. Schröder, as a quick, primary ball-handler, naturally conflicts with this Curry-dependent system. However, Draymond Green's comments on adjusting to Schröder's play style seemed to ease these concerns.
Draymond Green on the Dennis Schroder trade: “I don’t think he was necessarily brought here to fit. We play a certain style of basketball he does not really play. We need someone who can do the things he does. I’m looking forward to us adjusting to him.”
— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) December 16, 2024
While a period of adjustment was expected, Curry and Schröder looked entirely discombobulated In their first game on the court together.
Curry was a non-factor for much of the night, taking only five shots through the entirety of the Warriors' abysmal first half. As an aging star, Curry's ability to move off the ball and make space for himself was tested severely, and Schröder's clear awkwardness within the spacing of the offense compounded this issue.
While seemingly none of the Warriors were able to make their shots, Schröder was especially bad. He finished the night with only five points and shot 2-for-12 on field goals. He missed multiple layups after using his quickness to create lanes from the basket and took a pair of bad three-point shots as the game wore on.
Suffice to say, the Warriors' backcourt has some work to do. Curry, even at his age, still has the capability to carry an offense: something the Warriors have needed desperately in more games than not recently. While Schröder showed flashes of his passing ability throughout the night, he clearly struggled to get a feel for the offense and repeatedly failed to get the ball to the Warriors best scorers, including Curry.
Almost no facet of the Warriors' game seemed to be on par on Thursday. In order to escape their recent losing skid, they will need to quickly devise a plan to balance their desire to active Schröder's playmaking with the necessity of getting the ball in Curry's hands.