Golden State Warriors

LGW: What the Golden State Warriors’ Bench is Missing
Photo credit: Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images

Photo credit: Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images

Based on preseason expectations, the Golden State Warriors have had a somewhat disappointing season so far. They currently have a 15-13 win-loss record, which isn’t bad, but doesn’t reflect the immense amount of talent on this team.

They entered the 2013-14 NBA season with great expectations, but, recently, they have failed to play their dominant style of basketball.

Instead of playing their fast-paced, defense-first brand of basketball, they’ve been, more often than than not, sloppy. Their defense has been inconsistent,and their offense looks misguided at times.

One of the biggest problems for the Warriors this season has been their bench.

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LGW: Preview: San Antonio Spurs (20-5) at Golden State Warriors (14-12)
Source: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images North America

Source: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images North America

The Golden State Warriors will face the San Antonio Spurs in Oakland for the first time since their epic playoff series in the 2013 Western Conference Semifinals. As usual, the Spurs are having a fantastic season and currently have the third best record in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Although the Warriors have been struggling recently, they started to play their true brand of basketball in Tuesday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. A big reason for this re-emergence into relevance is because of the return of Andre Iguodala.

Iguodala surprised many Warriors fans by returning to the court on Tuesday after missing 12 games with a strained hamstring. He only had two points and two assists in 17 minutes, but his presence completely changed how the Warriors’ played.

Iguodala provides the Warriors with another ball handler who can run the offense, which allows Stephen Curry to play off the ball. His defense also greatly impacts the Warriors’ defense as a team, and he pushes the Warriors to play at a faster tempo, which leads to better basketball.

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LGW: Preview: New Orleans Pelicans (11-11) at Golden State Warriors (13-12)

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The Golden State Warriors return home tonight and will face the New Orleans Pelicans. This is the Warriors’ second out of three games against the Pelicans this season. In the first game, the Warriors squeaked out a 102-101 win in New Orleans last month.

On Sunday, the Warriors lost to the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix by a score of 106-102. The Warriors are the best three-point shooting team in the league, as they shoot 41.6 percent from three as a team. However, the Suns looked like the best three-point shooting team on Sunday night. They shot an impressive 13-for-27 from three-point range and hit a few timely three-point shots that sealed their win.

The Warriors are stuck in a bit of a rut recently. They’re losing games they should be winning, and they’re failing to play their brand of basketball. The absence of Andre Iguodala partially explains their poor defensive play recently, but the Warriors need to find a way to win without him. They know how competitive the Western Conference is, and they know it’s still early in the season. It’s time for the Warriors to step up and face the adversity fearlessly. Stephen Curry shared his thoughts on the Warriors’ recent slump.

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LGW: Preview: Houston Rockets (15-8) at Golden State Warriors (13-10) Klay Thompson vs. James Harden and Other Intriguing Matchups
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo

Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo

The Golden State Warriors take on the Houston Rockets tonight at Oracle Arena. These two teams played each other just a week ago in Houston. In this game, the Warriors were blown out and ultimately lost the game 105-83. Like many other games this season, they got off to a slow start and couldn’t recover.

On Wednesday, the Warriors had the same problem against the Dallas Mavericks. They struggled with their offense early on in the game, and they got down by as many as 18 points. However, the Warriors showed their resiliency and mounted another incredible comeback. Draymond Green contributed in so many ways, and Stephen Curry caught fire at the right time. The Warriors won the game off of Curry’s first game-winner in the NBA.

When the Warriors face off against the Rockets today, they need to play quality basketball for all 48 minutes. They’ve already proven that they can come back from a deficit, no matter how big it is. However, they can make it a lot easier on themselves if they play with energy and execute their game plan from the start of the game.

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LGW: Andre Iguodala: The Selfless Sidekick
(USATSI)

(USATSI)

Andre Iguodala might wear the number nine on the back of his Golden State Warriors jersey, but he’s used to being number two. Throughout his basketball career, Iguodala has always been “the sidekick” to a bigger, brighter star. When he attended Lanphier High School in Springfield, Illinois, Iguodala was “in the shadow” of Richard McBride. When he attended the University of Arizona, Iguodala deferred to Hassan Adams and Luke Walton. Lastly, when the Philadelphia 76ers selected Iguodala with the ninth pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, he immediately became the sidekick to the 76ers’ face of the franchise at the time, Allen Iverson.

For many up-and-coming basketball players, being a sidekick wouldn’t necessarily be the dream job. However, for a player like Iguodala, the role suits him. He’s always been a selfless player who makes the people around him better. He does this by contributing to a team in many different ways. He can pass, he can rebound, he can score when needed, and he can defend. He doesn’t need to be the star of a team. That’s always been his style, and that’s not going to change, no matter who he plays for or with.

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LGW: Preview: Dallas Mavericks (13-9) at Golden State Warriors (12-10) Monta Ellis Makes His Return to Oracle as a Maverick
(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

On March 13, 2012, the Golden State Warriors forever changed their franchise. They traded Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson. This monumental trade made a statement to the rest of the NBA that the Warriors were committed to winning and committed to Stephen Curry being the face of the franchise.

At the time, many Warriors fans were shocked and angry that Ellis, a fan favorite, was traded. Even Ellis seemed shocked when the trade was first announced. Now, not just Warriors fans, but also Ellis, can see why this trade was so important for the evolution of this team and why it was ultimately the right decision.

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