On the 19th of October, the Golden State Warriors hosted the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a special occasion for the Warriors as it was ‘Ring Night’, for clinching their fourth NBA title in the past eight years in 2022. The discussion after their dominating performance was that the Warriors seemed well on track to defend their title. Since game one this season, Stephen Curry and his team guarded their home court like defending champions. However, trouble came their way when the team was on the road.
Away from home, the Warriors have struggled all season. Currently, they have lost 16 games and won only three on the road. They look depleted on the court and injuries to their stars like Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins have added to their pain. Furthermore, their worst defeats came in the last two games against the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. The Warriors lost both games by 30+ points. As they try to regroup, Draymond Green recently spoke to ESPN about the team’s current struggles.
Draymond Green on the Warriors’ struggles
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The?Warriors’ six-game road trip began on December 14th. During this trip, they witnessed five losses, one win, and worst of all an injury to their two-time MVP Stephen Curry. In the words of Draymond Green, the team is in a rough patch, not just on the hardwood, but also mentally. For him, the mental factor has been the biggest cause of the rather embarrassing road trip.
The Warriors star believes that his team and he have struggled to maintain a positive spirit. He said, “You can make what you want of it being on the road versus being at home, but it’s mental. It’s a team struggling mentally”.?
As Green put it, when one enters troubling times, their whole world seems to fall apart. When bad things happen, an individual tends to believe and shape their personality according to the negative energy and happenings around them. This is a natural human tendency and as per the four-time champion, this is happening to the Warriors right now. However, Green has a solution to the problem. He added, “The only way to break them is by being mentally tough”. ?
The way ahead without Stephen Curry
The four-time All-Star also acknowledged that the team knows the formula to winning games. However, Green is aware the solution to their woes is not restricted to reviewing or going over the winning blueprint. It is a slow and continuous process that only relies on hard work. He said, “You’ve got to work [for] positive outcomes, positive feelings, that ultimately give you that boost of confidence.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The Golden State Warriors have been in tough situations before. With that said, they have also found a way to work and win without their franchise superstar on the court. The roster undoubtedly has impeccable talent in the likes of Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney, and Draymond Green. This combination along with the return of Andrew Wiggins and the skills of the other budding stars, and this team can prove to be destructive on their night.
Watch this Story: Pacers rookie Andrew Nembhard joins Stephen Curry and Trae Young in a historic list after going off against the Warriors?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
However, the team looks scattered right now. But the hope of regrouping and playing like champions continues to linger around the team. The Warriors go up against Ja Morant and the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies?(20-11) next on Christmas Day.
Can the Warriors defy the odds and defend their championship title this season? Let us know what you think in the comments below.