The Golden State Warriors opened the week with another high-scoring win, their fourth straight at the time. But as we now know, their fate shifted dramatically in the third quarter when Jimmy Butler went down awkwardly while attempting to secure a pass. The play resulted in a devastating ACL tear that ended his season and cast a shadow over the team's playoff hopes.
During that four-game winning streak, the Warriors owned the league’s best offense and third-best defense. Since Butler’s injury, however, Golden State has gone 1–2 and ranks 19th in offense and 17th in defense.
Trying to overcome the loss of Butler -- and subsequently the clear offensive limitations that are now in place -- is going to be about defense and hoping for some level of consistency on the other end.
Warriors have still proven they can be a high level team
Shooting and scoring have been major issues for the Warriors, particularly their inconsistency in both areas. Golden State has shown flashes of its ability to put the ball in the basket, highlighted by a season-high 77-point second half in Tuesday’s loss to the Raptors, a 39-point third-quarter eruption in Dallas on Thursday, and a 38-point, game-icing third quarter in Minnesota in a commanding 111–85 win over the Timberwolves.
However, the Warriors haven’t been able to find offensive steadiness, which led them to fall behind by 20 in the first half against Toronto and to squander a fourth-quarter lead against Dallas. The answer to that problem -- aside from trading for more scoring -- is to lean on the defense.
The Warriors simply don’t have the firepower to win while giving up 145 or 123 points, but they do when they can hold opponents to 85. A scrappy, defiant defense is the key going forward, and Sunday’s victory in Minnesota was the perfect example of why.
Golden State forced Minnesota to cough it up 26 times, turning those miscues into 25 points, while committing just 12 of their own. Turnovers have been a key swing factor for the Warriors this season, as they’re now 10–3 when committing fewer than 13.
Ball movement is another key variable in the Warriors’ winning formula this season. Golden State failed to top the 30-assist mark in its first two games without Butler, resulting in an 0–2 record, and is now 10–19 when it doesn’t reach that threshold. On Sunday, the Warriors handed out 31 assists on 40 made field goals, improving to an impressive 15–1 when hitting that benchmark.
Warriors are still needing to find help for Stephen Curry
Whether it comes via a trade or an internal player stepping up, Stephen Curry — who poured in 38 points on eight made threes in Thursday night’s loss in Dallas — is going to need help to shoulder the offensive load.
Jonathan Kuminga provided a glimpse of that in his first action since Dec. 18, scoring 30 points in 30 minutes across his first two games back. However, a knee injury he suffered in Dallas sidelined him on Sunday in Minnesota and will cause him to miss Monday’s game as well.
Buddy Hield did have a scoring outburst against Toronto, chipping in 25 points on 6-of-6 from deep, but consistency has been the issue for the Bahamian. Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, meanwhile, have been steady contributors, finishing in double figures in all three of the Warriors’ Butler-less games.
De’Anthony Melton has also continued to provide a spark off the bench, highlighted by a 22-point performance and a +22 in 23 minutes in Thursday’s loss against the Mavericks.
Unless Golden State acquires a high-level scorer before the Feb. 5 deadline, it will have to win on the margins, lean on a solid defense, and provide Stephen Curry with enough support to remain relevant in a wide-open West.
The Warriors will face that same Timberwolves squad again on Monday night, but with an even thinner roster, as both Melton and Horford will sit out the back end of the back-to-back.
Steve Kerr said postgame that he is hopeful Stephen Curry -- who was questionable for Sunday’s game due to knee discomfort -- will play on Monday.
The Warriors will close their four-game road trip in Utah on Wednesday before returning home to face the top-seeded Detroit Pistons to wrap up the week.