WS Chronicle

The Golden State Warriors have gotten off to a slow start this season. They currently sit in the 5th spot in the Western Conference and have lost four straight games at the time this column was written. They were projected to be the unquestioned favorite to win the championship, but with a quarter of the season gone, the team seems off track a bit.

There are several reasons the Warriors are in this current situation. For one, Stephen Curry has been dealing with a groin injury since Nov. 8; there also was a highly publicized verbal altercation between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green that resulted in a suspension for Green; and the stress of trying to win a third straight championship seemed to all have taken their toll on the team.

Coming into the season, the Warriors were pretty much a sure thing, much like the Alabama Crimson Tide are in college football. Both teams seemed unbeatable with the amount of talent both squads have on their roster.

Alabama looks well on their way to yet another national championship, but I am not sure the Warriors are still such a sure thing.  I say that not because I do not have faith in their talent, but rather they have given other teams hope that they can beat Golden State. What many people don’t realize about sports is the mental aspect is just as important as the physical.

If they give teams too much hope that they can beat the Warriors, or if they don’t have home court advantage throughout, the NBA playoffs could get very interesting this year. I’ll still put my money on the Warriors when it’s all said and done.

The biggest question I have for the Warriors is, why hasn’t Kevin Durant stepped up to lead the team in Curry’s absence? Durant is widely considered a top 2 or 3 player in the world. Even without Curry, the Warriors are still loaded with talent.

It appears he is getting a pass because the Warriors are the two-time defending champions of the NBA and Durant was MVP of both finals’ appearances. I’m sorry, but if you are on a team with Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, there is no reason to lose four games in a row. 

Let’s just be honest. If you switch LeBron James with Durant on that Warriors team, they may not have lost a game all season. And that is taking into account Curry’s injury as well. Durant must be more of a leader on this team while Curry is recovering from his injury.

If you are a top 3 player in the league, having two all-star players on the court with you should be more than enough to win. I have questioned for years the internal toughness Durant has displayed over his career. Dating back to his days in Oklahoma City, I always thought he under achieved on the big stage or when faced with criticism. 

Curry is slated to come back from injury soon, so I am sure Golden State will be back on or near the top of the Western Conference sooner than later. I just hope Warrior fans are prepared for what is to come next season, because both Green and Durant will not be playing for them. Also, Klay Thompson’s contract is coming up, so the Warriors have some big decisions to make.

The playoffs will really show if the Warriors are still the cohesive unit they have been in years past.  To be the best, you must beat the best, so the other 29 teams in the league are looking for any chink in the Warriors’ armor in hopes of having the chance to defeat them.