If there was anything Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors were hoping to get on Christmas, it was a sweet victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite a 38-point performance from Stephen Curry, which included two heroic perimeter shots with under 12 seconds left, the Warriors were left with coal in the form of an ugly 115-113 loss by way of an Austin Reaves game-winning layup.
Once again, Golden State finds themselves failing to close out a game in the fourth quarter, sitting at 15-14 on the season after winning 12 of their first 15 games. Kerr, Curry, and the entire organization have done a lot to try and solve their recent problems, yet the Dubs are still left facing major unknowns. More specifically, Kerr is still trying to figure out the best path forward for his team after constantly changing players’ roles.
“In fairness to our guys, we’ve been all over the map this year rotation-wise,” Kerr said in his postgame remarks via 95.7 The Game in San Francisco. “We’ve had a million different starting lineups. Guys are in and out of certain roles (and) certain rotations. I’m well aware of that, and it’s hard as a player to not know how many minutes you’re going to get. What minutes you’re going to get. The reality is we’re searching.”
The constant changes with Kerr’s lineups and rotations have been a hot topic in the Bay Area this season, as inconsistent roles have defined the Warriors’ decline in recent weeks. While this team found early success playing 11 different players, sometimes even 12, Kerr acknowledges that he and his staff are still in the process of figuring out who this team is.
Even after losing to the Lakers on Christmas, Kerr is still of the belief that Golden State has the deepest roster in the NBA.
“We’ve lost 11 of 14 games, and I don’t feel like this is a roster where you just say, ‘Here are our top eight guys or top nine guys. We just play those guys.’ Our roster is really deep, and we’ve got a lot of guys who can play,” Kerr noted. “Every game calls for something different. That’s the issue. There are certain games we need more shooting. Certain games we need more defense. So, we’ve got a lot of guys who can play, but it’s been difficult to develop consistent rotations and lineup combos.
“I think that has not been easy for the guys.”
Prior to this Christmas Day game against Los Angeles, Curry and the Warriors held a players-led meeting in the locker room. Although no specifics have been given as to what was said, Warriors second-year big man Trayce Jackson-Davis claimed after the loss that Curry said this season could go “one way or the other,” according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
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Time is ticking for the Warriors to turn things around. An amazing 12-3 start has rapidly turned into a nightmare scenario where Golden State has lost 11 of their last 14 games while seeing their offensive and defensive efficiency decline. Between the trade deadline approaching and a sense of urgency hanging over the heads of everyone in this organization, the Warriors must find the confidence needed to regain their relevance in a very crowded Western Conference.
“We’ve lost some confidence. You can feel it. We had a great vibe early in the season, and we’re going through it right now,” Kerr said in his postgame comments. “I love our guys. High-character guys. They care about the game and care about each other.
“I believe in them. I believe we’re going to get this thing turned around.”
