Golden State looked to be on track for a swift and successful end to Stephen Curry’s playing days. However, now having lost five straight, panic is beginning to set in. There are doubts regarding the team in some games they lost. Tonight, against the Denver Nuggets, a turnaround in the clutch left the Warriors with their shoulders down. Everyone but one. Draymond Green looked disappointed. Nikola Jokic knew his worth as well.

Green missed the game during this cloudy spell for the Warriors. A calf injury that the defensive stalwart admits ‘scares him’ derailed his participation. Moreover, his absence from the court gave way to several errors. The Nuggets also forced 15 turnovers, one in the clutch that sealed the game’s fate. While they did celebrate the win, even two of the Nuggets’ most renowned stars felt Green could have had a drastic impact.

For Jamal Murray, that came with his “connection”, with Stephen Curry. Having guarded him to an inefficient night, the Canadian guard articulated the importance of their synergy. “Steph obviously very hard to guard. He moves a lot. I think they missed Draymond out there just because of their timing was a little off. He was open for like a split second and that’s when he normally gets the ball,” the Nuggets guard admitted.

Still, the Nuggets were pushed to the fence. Their escape came in the form of another Nikola Jokic exhibition. The three-time MVP contributed 38 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in the narrow win. The Joker, though, hadn’t watched much of the Warriors. However, he admits Green’s presence could have caused problems.

“I mean, of course, Draymond. You know we all respect and he is a big factor of how they play both sides of the basketball. But I didn’t follow them, so I don’t want to be stupid,” said Nikola Jokic. This was also evident last season when Green missed time because of suspension and injury. Even this year, the Warriors have found it difficult without their focal playmaker.

And maybe they will have to prepare for Green’s absence for more than just one game.

Do the Warriors need to thin their rotations after loss against Nikola Jokic and Nuggets?

At the beginning of the season, depth became the Warriors’ greatest utility. In the first 15 games, they won 12. Since then, their tactics have experienced some flaws. The problem isn’t with the outline of Kerr’s system. However, when depth loses its consistency, that begins to have a ripple effect and it showed against Nikola Jokic and Co

While it’s untested, the short spells of play for both Stephen Curry and Green may have led to nagging injuries. Notably, the calf injury is the same ailment the four-time champion suffered last year. On the other hand, the Baby Face Assassin is also struggling with a lingering knee injury that he admits could be a “nagging” him for the season.

Generally, Curry walks in the path with the decisions of Steve Kerr. They have the championship background for him to do so. However, even he has felt the longer rotations potentially have a detrimental effect on the Warriors. “Do we need to shorten it? We probably need to be more predictable on a night-to-night basis so guys can get a little bit of a rhythm. Is that shortening it one or two guys? Maybe.” he told the media after their last loss.

Tonight, with a normal 10-man rotation, the Warriors came close to besting the former NBA champions. Even in the fourth quarter, they held a double-digit lead. It was simply a case of a lack of composure from the Bay and surgical execution from the Nuggets that flipped the script.

When Draymond Green does return, a regular 10-man rotation might pay greater dividends due to Curry and his dynamic. Their minutes might need to increase as well, with sufficient periods of rest rather than vigorous movement. Ultimately, it depends on how Steve Kerr manages through this dark time.

Capability is surely present. It’s only about finding a stable mechanism to achieve winning once again.