Golden State Warriors' 5 biggest weaknesses as NBA playoffs approach

With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Golden State Warriors will need to finish strong heading into the NBA postseason. However, the team still consists of glaring weaknesses that have plagued its 2023-24 season right from the jump. Granted, the postseason is a different ballgame, but the issues can come back to bite the Warriors when the stakes are the highest.

Entering Tuesday's games, Golden State (43-35) is in 10th place in the Western Conference standings despite winning seven of its last 10 games. The team has also secured a spot in the play-in tournament after a brief tug-of-war with the 11th-place Houston Rockets (38-40) a few weeks ago.

However, despite clinching the play-in spot, Golden State will still need to put forth excellent basketball in its final slate of games, considering the playoff implications for each matchup.

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The five biggest weaknesses of the Golden State Warriors heading into the NBA playoffs

#5, Klay Thompson's inconsistency

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson has been inconsistent on the offensive end. He's averaging 17.6 points (43.0% shooting, including 38.4% from 3-point range) and 3.3 rebounds. The shooting numbers have taken a dive compared to past performances as the shotmaking has not been the same.

This could take a shift come the postseason, considering Thompson's track record in the NBA playoffs. However, it could also lead to another disappointing run for him on offense, mirroring what he's been showing this season.

#4, Young second unit

Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski

The Golden State Warriors' young second unit is a concern. Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis have been standouts; however, the Warriors are lacking experienced contributors coming off the bench.

The NBA playoffs are a whole different playing field compared to the regular season, with the game getting slower and the defense tightening up on each possession. It remains to be seen if the lights end up being too bright for the young guys.

#3, Limited roster depth

Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul

Golden State's rotations have been limited due to the inconsistent production of the bench. During the 2023 offseason, the team's big acquisition was Chris Paul in exchange for Jordan Poole, but it didn't build upon that by acquiring other pieces.

#2, Lack of size

Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis

Golden State's lack of size, which has been a headache for the team in past seasons, is one of its pressing weaknesses. Currently, they run a five-out starting lineup with Draymond Green at the center position with rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney being the backup bigs.

The team still lacks a reliable big as Green is still limited in the height department, despite mostly exceeding this limitation at the defensive end. This can be a roster hole that can be exploited by opposing teams in a playoff series.

#1, Over-reliance on Stephen Curry

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry

The team has an over-reliance on the efforts of Stephen Curry. Curry is averaging 26.5 points (44.8% shooting, including 40.3% from 3-point range), 5.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game.

It has been another stellar individual season for the two-time MVP despite the struggles and setbacks his team has experienced throughout the season. Fatigue can play a serious factor for Golden State in the postseason as he will yet again be relied on heavily to propel his team to victories.