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The Warriors have been the team to beat in the NBA for the last 4 years now. The Superteam from Oakland just won back to back NBA Championships and are targeting a three-peat this season which would officially make them one of the best dynasties in NBA history.
However, they haven't really looked like themselves this season. They've been blown out in home games and their star players can't seem to get it right this season. Warriors who They're currently placed 2nd in the Western Conference and might finish 1st when it's all said and done but for the first time in the last few years, the Warriors look really vulnerable. Here's why.
#1 Team chemistry
The altercations between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant have made it clear that the environment in the Warriors dressing room isn't as bright as it looked for the last few seasons.
Team chemistry is a necessity and especially so when a team has the same core for the last few years. Ego clashes between teammates are common in professional sports but when a team is a Championship contender, it can really hurt their chances. The Lakers were a solid dynasty in the early 2000's but ego clashes between Kobe and Shaq led to a fall-out.
#2 Draymond Green doesn't look like an All-Star player any more
Green has been shooting at around 20% from the 3 point line and is averaging only 7.5 points per game this season. This is not the Draymond Green that the Warriors fans are used to seeing.
Though he's never been a pure scorer throughout his career, his ability to score made the Warriors really dangerous. When Green is on the 3 point line, teams have let him take the open shot and have preferred to double-team Durant on Curry on that possession making their shots really hard.
On the defensive end, he still looks pretty solid but he's far from his Defensive Player of the Year form in 2017. What's worse, he could be traded before the trade deadline in order to woo Durant into signing a contract this offseason
#3 Klay Thompson is struggling to make the 3 point shot
Klay Thompson is shooting at 33% from the 3 Point Line vs his career average of 42%. This means that the infamous "Splash Bros" are no longer a dual threat this season. Klay has been widely regarded as a top 5 shooter to ever play in the NBA but he is really finding it hard to find his rhythm from beyond the arc.
One would expect a shooter of his caliber to get it right come Playoffs time but until then, it is an issue that is hurting the Warriors.
#4 Kevin Durant's inability to lead the offense
When Steph Curry was sidelined due to an injury earlier this season, the onus was on Kevin Durant to lead the Warriors' offense.
However, Durant's isolation-ball tendencies meant that the Warriors were on a losing streak in Curry's absence. Curry runs the offense by keeping the ball swinging around until someone gets a quality look but a Durant led offense is mostly Durant holding on to the ball with other players hoping for something to happen.
This strategy certainly didn't work out for them. If Curry is injured during the Playoffs, don't be surprised of witnessing a dramatic collapse.
Guess the Lakers players!
