Experience is not always the best teacher, and in the case of the Golden State Warriors, they are getting old, with father time catching up to the once-dominant NBA team.
During the recent playoffs, Dylan Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies mocked Stephen Curry and the GSW core.
“We’re young, and they’re getting old,” Brooks told the reporters following their second-round win against the Warriors. “They know we’re coming every single year.”
The Grizzlies, however, were eliminated in the series with the help of “old” Klay Thomspon, who shot 11-of-22. The younger team, however, brought the GSW into Game 6.
Toward the new NBA season, Brooks’ statement has some truth. Although the Warriors have won the 2021-22 season, they are not currently looking as dominant as they once were.
They have 14 wins and 15 losses and are currently ranked 10th in the Western Conference. If we look at the previous 29 matches of the Warriors, the veterans were beaten by younger, faster, and more explosive teams.
Their recent loss was against the young Indiana Pacers 125-119. Twenty-two-year-old Tyrese Haliburton led the way with 29 points, four rebounds, and six assists. His teammate Bennedict Mathurin, 20, added 24 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
Curry, 34, Draymond Green, 32, and Kavon Looney, 26, were in this game. These players had four championships but were bested by a team whose oldest is 29.
But it might also be a factor that Curry went out during the final minutes of the third quarter due to a shoulder injury.
It is also important to know that a starless team like Utah Jazz beat them, while the New Orleans Pelicans, with a young star in Zion Williamson, destroyed them 83-128.
However, that is only sometimes the case. GSW won against the young Houston Rockets.
Old and small
The Warriors are not only getting old but also are smaller compared to other NBA teams. Their lack of size may have ranked them 1st in Pace, but it does not help when they are up against tall and agile teams like the Milwaukee Bucks.
The GSW was outboxed and out-styled in that game 128-111. The Bucks easily defended their basket against the offense of the Warriors, having a total of five blocks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and his team also had 55 rebounds in their matchup against Curry and the rest of the GSW. Forty-three were defensive rebounds (DRB), and the remaining 12 were from offensive rebounding (ORB).
Meanwhile, the Warriors only had 37 rebounds. They only had 25 DRBs and 12 ORBs.
Their recent loss against the Pacers also showed how much they need a big like James Wiseman who can swat shots. Indiana had eight blocks that game compared to GSW’s four.
Final thoughts
Brooks’ statement may seem overconfident at some point, but he is partially correct. The Warriors are indeed getting older, as shown by their current standing.
Furthermore, Nemanja Bjelica, Gary Payton II, and Otto Porter Jr, who contributed much in the past season regarding defense and rebounding, are sorely missed, given the team’s current state.
So if they don’t bring Wiseman back into their lineup, the Warriors will keep losing to younger, taller teams. It will also mean that their chances of getting a two-peat are slimmer, particularly with their core getting older and slower.
The odds at OKBET might still favor Curry and the Warriors. Note, however, that other teams are faring better than the ’22 NBA champs. It might be best to hold your bets on GSW until they show these youngbloods whose boss.
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