Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called out his team for their poor play to start the season. The defending champs are horrible on the road, with zero wins in eight games away from the Chase Center. Kerr went on to compare their current play to a Drew League game.
After the Warriors lost to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, Kerr told reporters that they lacked character and effort. He believes that's one of the reasons why Golden State remains winless on the road. He even described their current style of play as an exhibition game.
"We lack collective grit. We're playing a Drew League game right now," Kerr said. "I've always felt the game rewards you if you commit to the game. If you really compete together, shots go in, calls go your way, breaks fall your way, and we're not earning any of this stuff. That's why we are winless on the road. It's a pickup game."
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The Golden State Warriors are struggling to defend opposing teams, owning the seventh-worst defensive efficiency in the league. The Warriors have allowed 110.4 points per 100 possessions this season. It was far from their 103.9 points last season, which was the best in the NBA.
Golden State's 0-8 start on the road this season is the worst start for any defending champion in history. It's also the first time since the 1989-90 season that the Warriors have lost eight straight games on the road.
The season is still in its early stages, but Golden State cannot afford to continue losing games. The Western Conference is stacked with really good and surprising teams. If they want to defend their title, the Warriors will need to find ways to be better defensively.
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Golden State Warriors wasting Steph Curry's amazing season
Despite a bad start to the season for the Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry remains a bright spot for the defending champions. Curry has been playing like an MVP this season, averaging 32.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
The reigning Finals MVP is shooting 53.1% from the field, including 44.7% from the beyond the arc. Curry is also averaging 5.1 3-point makes this season, which is number one in the league. He recently dropped 50 points against the Phoenix Suns, but the Warriors lost by double-digits.
"I'm scoring great, trying to be efficient and I'm going to keep doing that," Curry said after the game. "But there's a collective kind of mindset around how I need to help everybody get in the right frame of mind to try and win and I'm up for the challenge of figuring that out."
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