When you lose, everything is on full display.” Those were the words of Steph Curry after his Golden State Warriors had fallen to the 91-90 loss to the Houston Rockets, eliminating them from the NBA Cup.
The Warriors have not clicked yet this season and Wednesday’s loss exposed some underlying problems in the Warriors’ system. Namely, it was the second time in their last five outings that they had let a lead slip late in the game. Speaking to reporters after the game, Curry admitted that the Warriors are currently in transition.
“It’s a team trying to figure out who you are,” the two-time NBA MVP said. “What works, what sets we need to be in. Teams seeling out on our standard pick-and-roll, which I usually can make plays … If I make that last shot, you might not ask me about the last two possessions. That’s kind of the way the game goes.”
Unusually for a team with such shooting prowess, the Warriors struggled to maintain any offensive momentum against Houston. It’s becoming a major concern for Steve Kerr’s team and Curry is only too are of the consequences.
The pattern of scoreless droughts down the stretch has to be addressed or else we’ll be a mediocre team,” Curry continued. “I’ll take responsibility for not being able to get us organized and not being able to finish plays. Ball’s in my hands. I got to make shots.”
The Warriors are now 14-10 in the 2024/25 NBA season; not disastrous, but a long way short of championship-winning form. After the NBA Cup elimination, the Warriors’ next two games are against the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies, the two teams directly above them in the Western Conference standings.
Two statement victories in the next week could help to turn the tide for Golden State and build some momentum ahead of the busy festive period. However more underperformance would underline their struggles this year and could prompt more experimentation from Steve Kerr as he looks to reignite the Warriors’ season.
