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After leading the West in the regular season (with a 57-25 win-loss record) for yet another year, Golden State looked set to kick off another one of their characteristic playoff runs. However, apart from the sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers, every other series posed different challenges for the two-time defending champs.
After incorporating DeMarcus Cousins into the rotation midway through the regular season, they lost him to a quad injury right in the first playoff game of his career. This was followed by the shocking exit of Kevin Durant to a calf injury against Houston Rockets in the West semis and Thompson's hamstring in the Finals.
Also, let's not ignore Durant re-aggravating his injury due to an Achilles tear in his controversial return in Game 5.
It was one of the most grueling post-seasons for the mighty Warriors, but then again, this team has stood the test of time - or so everyone believed. Eventually, the burden of carrying GSW to a three-peat proved to be too much for Steph Curry's lone shoulders. And this was in part because of the lack of quality contribution from the support crew in such prolonged times of distress.
Let's take a look at the three most underwhelming individual performers from the 2018-19 Warriors' side.
#1 Shaun Livingston
Ever since GSW won the title in 2015, Shaun Livingston has been an integral part of this team coming off the bench. He has proven to be the difference-maker at numerous times with his disciplined offense and intensity on defense.
However, the spark that Livingston provides off the bench seems to be visibly diminished lately. He appeared in 64 regular season games this season, and averaged a career-low 4.0 points per game (min. 20 games played), having played over 15 minutes per contest.
Coach Kerr called upon him for help at several occasions citing Warriors' depleted core during the post-season, but the 33-year-old couldn't respond in a reliable manner. He scored a career playoff low 4.0 ppg ad 1.4 rpg in the 22 games he played (two of which he started in).
"It's just all the signs on the wall," Livingston told The Athletic. "And just more so from a physical standpoint. If I'm healthy and having fun, then I want to play. But physically, if I'm not … Like, I put so much work in my body just to get back to playing basketball, let alone get to this point where I'm at. So now that it's getting harder. Like this year, I've struggled with injuries more than any other year I've been on the Warriors."
After averaging 5.7 points and 2.6 assists in 18.0 minutes over his first four seasons with the champs, Livingston's numbers saw a clear dip this past season.
#2 Jordan Bell
In his rookie season, Jordan Bell proved to be a reliable power forward for Steve Kerr who could also play at the center spot and give efficient minutes. Unfortunately, his sophomore season wasn't a step-up as they'd have expected.
His shooting percentage fell to 51% from a respectable 62% in his first year, while his scoring average also saw a notable decline of 4.6 ppg to 3.3 ppg.
“Jordan Bell is one of those guys who has got that energy,” said Andre Iguodala. “He thrives off the spotlight. He enjoys being in those moments and people are watching him.”
Despite getting decent minutes in the post-season due to DeMarcus Cousins' absence, Bell could only average a meager 2.7 ppg across the 15 games he played.
It can be argued that there's not much space for a talent to grow on a stacked Warriors roster, but it was apparent throughout the regular season and playoffs that opportunities were always there. Bell just didn't make the most of them.
#3 DeMarcus Cousins
Boogie's days with the Golden State Warriors were far from the mighty joy ride everybody expected when he first signed with the defending champs. He played in just 30 regular season games (out to a ruptured Achilles) and averaged a little over 16 ppg (lowest since his rookie season), shooting a miserable 27% from beyond the arc.
Moreover, he lacked consistency, and there were certain aspects of his game that felt unlike the dominant big man we were used to seeing.
"I doubt he gets what he wants," one anonymous NBA executive told Bleacher Report's Yaron Weitzman, regarding Cousins' free agency bids.
As per reports, Steve Kerr said, "I could absolutely foresee a place for DeMarcus here if he wanted to come back. It’s just a question of what are his goals? What’s out there for him?”
While GSW might want to run it back with Cousins for at least one more year, he hasn't shown any promising signs as to why they should.
Following a quad injury in the playoffs and his return in the Finals, Cousins averaged just 7.6 ppg (in 5 games), not proving to be of any great help to the Warriors' losing cause.
Guess the Lakers players!
