Warriors 3 Things: Loss to Suns shows how far Curry and Co. have come,
how far they still have to go
Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors are a good team, but the
defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns looked a whole lot
better Tuesday night.
>Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Golden State Warriors guard
Stephen Curry (30) watch a free throw during the first half of an NBA
basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
>Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Golden State Warriors guard
Stephen Curry (30) watch a free throw during the first half of an NBA
basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
By DIETER KURTENBACH | dkurtenbach@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News
Group
PUBLISHED: December 1, 2021 at 5:30 a.m. | UPDATED: December 1, 2021 at
7:50 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/12/01/warriors-3-things-golden-states-loss-to-the-suns-shows-how-far-curry-and-co-have-come-how-far-they-still-have-to-go/

There’s no reason to think any less of the Warriors after their
underwhelming 104-96 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

And if you think that much more of the Suns after that win, well, then
you simply were not paying attention to the team that has now won 17
straight games.

While Tuesday’s contest doesn’t affect much, it was still an engaging
and informative checkpoint for both squads — a true showdown of worthy
adversaries to see who will be considered the best team in the NBA…
until they meet again on Friday, at least.

For the Warriors, Tuesday’s loss shows how far they have come since last
season.

It also tells them how far they still need to go.

[video: Warriors vs Suns - Full Game Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8N5GGDUeYA]

The Warriors might be one of the best teams in the NBA, but the truth of
the matter is simple: Steph Curry and Draymond Green cannot play as
poorly as they did Tuesday — or frankly, even remotely close to that
poorly — if the Warriors want to win serious regular-season games, much
less playoff games this campaign.

Yes, the Warriors are a much better team than they were at any point
last season — and this was an outstanding team down the stretch of the
2021 campaign — but Curry and Green are still the most important players
on the team.

Can the Warriors afford for Curry to have an off night shooting these days?

Sure, against the right opponent. And so long as Curry is still
demanding double teams and not turning the ball over, the Warriors’
offense can hum.

But that’s not the kind of game Curry had against the Suns, who are
anything but the kind of opponent the Warriors can beat on an off night.

Curry was simply off in everything on Tuesday night. He saw his shot
blocked multiple times. He looked as if he had a marginal lift. He
lacked the get-around burst that keeps defenders honest on the
perimeter, and he was sloppy with the ball.

Oh, and he also shot 4-for-21, arguably his worst shooting night as a
professional.

In all, Curry was a game-worst minus-17 Tuesday with a net rating of
minus-21.8.

That’s not going to get it done.

Especially when Green had as many turnovers as assists, was passive for
far too many stretches in the game, and muffed four shots in the lane.

Credit to Jordan Poole (28 points), Otto Porter (16 and a plus-10), and
Gary Payton II (eight points, plus-17) — their emergence as winning
players shows how far these Warriors have come since they were using
seven-man rotations late last year to win enough games to make the
play-in tournament — but Curry and Green are still the engines of this team.

The Warriors will only go as far as their incredible duo will take them.

Again, it speaks to the Warriors’ overall quality as a team — and a bit
to the fact that Suns star guard Devin Booker missed the majority of the
game with a hamstring injury — that this game was close late.

But Curry and Green were not good on Tuesday. Not even close. And a
Warriors loss is nearly inevitable — particularly against a great team —
when that’s the case.

- One guy did show up

[video: One guy did show up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeQxvcnM7OU]

Another round of applause for Jordan Poole, who was so good when the
Warriors needed someone, anyone, to get them a bucket on Tuesday.

Poole had a couple of nice individual runs in the game, finishing
9-of-15 from the field and 6-of-12 from beyond the arc.

A lot of things happened for the Warriors towards the end of the year —
the absences of Kelly Oubre and James Wiseman from the lineups stand out
— but one can easily argue that Golden State’s season turned around when
Poole returned from the G League bubble with some serious confidence and
direction and showed that on the court at the NBA level.

Poole’s play gave the Warriors an outlet for when Curry wasn’t at his best.

Tuesday, Curry was at his worst.

Poole’s game — which has been on a whole other level this season after
this strong finish to last — should have been the Dubs’ top offensive
option more down the stretch.

At this point, he’s earned that respect.

Now, there’s no doubt that Klay Thompson would have been a benefit to
the Warriors on Tuesday, as he will almost certainly be in his likely
limited role on Christmas Day against these Suns.

And Andrew Wiggins is a better player than he showed on Tuesday.
Frankly, he should not have been out on the court — his back spasms from
earlier in the day were clearly bothering him, as he was shell of the
player that has been so active these last few weeks.

But Poole was there and he came through. The Warriors can’t forget that
contribution as Thompson returns to the court and Wiggins to form.

This kid out of Michigan is a prime-time player. There’s no use fighting
that truth after Tuesday.

- Big man, big problems

[video: Deandre Ayton vs GSW 24 pts 11.30.21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IgLmPXVwdI]

The big concern for the Warriors going into Tuesday night’s game against
the Suns was how big Phoenix is.

Not only their height with DeAndre Ayton and Javale McGee, but also
their prodigious length on the wing — Mikal Bridges looks as if he can
tie his shoes without needing to bend over.

The Warriors’ free-flowing, player- and ball-movement offense has always
struggled with height and width — remember how the nascent Bucks had
their number in the early days of the dynasty?

Tuesday night was no exception. The Suns stymied Curry (though the Baby
Faced Assassin did miss a stunning number of wide-open looks), befuddled
Green, and rendered Kevon Looney obsolete.

As much as Tuesday’s Warriors performance called for the returns of
Thompson and Andre Iguodala, I couldn’t help but think about how James
Wiseman — an actual 7-footer — would have performed against Phoenix.

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Ayton is a special talent. He’s a beast under the basket but he’s
exceptionally graceful and agile running the floor and on the perimeter.
He’s a force and the Suns are going to rectify their failure to pay him
a max salary this past offseason in this upcoming one — or some other
team will.

The Warriors didn’t have anyone who could match up with him on Tuesday
night. Not even close.

In fact, they were lucky he missed some gimmes near the hoop late in the
game, extending the contest a few more possessions.

The Dubs won’t find an answer to what could be a definitive problem for
them this season before Friday’s game. Wiseman playing on Christmas
would likely constitute a holiday miracle.

And who knows if the young former No. 2 overall pick could even do
anything against the former No. 1.

But the Warriors should be open to anything to stop Ayton — he looks
like the kind of player that can end the Dubs’ season in the spring.
Putting a crazy-athletic 7-footer on him seems like a logical step.