The Golden State Warriors looked as though they could make one last run at a championship this season. They were one of the best teams in the NBA over the first month of the 2024-25 campaign, and were sitting atop the Western Conference standings after the first 15 games. Steph Curry was his productive and efficient self, and any of his shortcomings were masked by a bench unit that was operating as the best in the league.
Warriors Now In 10th Place After Nearly 2 Months Of Struggles
Things have been anything but positive since mid-November. Since their 12-3 start to the season, the Warriors have lost 15 of their last 21 games, and have dropped from #1 all the way down to #10 where they currently sit. After looking like a sure bet to make the postseason and perhaps make a run at yet another Larry O’Brien trophy in the spring time, Golden State is now in danger of missing out on the playoffs entirely as we near the mid-way point of the season.
Curry is visibly frustrated, something that has been on full display over the past few games.
Steph Curry is visibly frustrated. That blank stare he had walking to the bench said a lot.
— Bonta Hill (@BontaHill) January 8, 2025
After losing a home game by 30 points to the rival Sacramento Kings on Sunday night, the Warriors were hoping to bounce back against a short-handed Miami Heat team on Tuesday. Miami had endured a tough double-overtime loss the night before, and the assumption is that they would be gassed after a grueling game while on a cross-country road trip. The sportsbooks set the betting like at 9.5 points in favor of Golden State.
Instead, it was the Warriors who came out flat. By halftime, they were already down by 13 points, and eventually lost by 15, failing to reach the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in seven games. Steph Curry was the leading scorer with 31 points on the night, but only one other player on Golden State’s roster contributed more than 11. Three of their five starters finished with single-digit scoring totals, and Buddy Hield’s 11 points were the most of any bench player.
Curry went 8 for 17 from three point range, while the rest of the team was a combined 6 for 33 (18%).
Steph Curry just looked generally exasperated tonight as the Warriors continually tried and failed to come back against a Heat team that played into double OT last night. Here’s a wandering, frustrated Curry after subbing out for final time. pic.twitter.com/ekP5P0EbS3
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 8, 2025
During the game, cameras caught Curry looking out of sorts on multiple occasions. During the second quarter, he slammed his hand against one of the seats on the bench during a timeout out of frustration. With the game out of hand in the fourth quarter, he was seen roaming aimlessly during a timeout with his head lowered, looking somber and defeated.
The visible frustration was confirmed in his postgame press conference. When asked if it was a low point for the season, Curry nodded and alluded to his team not showing up in back-to-back games. His response to what the Warriors can do to improve the offense was glaring: “I honestly have no idea.”
Roster Tweaks Still Not Enough To Help Curry
Golden State has undergone some serious changes over the past few years. The trade of Jordan Poole sacrificed current scoring as well as their future, and Klay Thompson left for greener pastures during the summer. Their off-season additions looked positive through the first 15 games, but guys like Buddy Hield have fallen off of a cliff with their production, and the in-season acquisition of Dennis Schröder hasn’t amounted to much of anything on either side of the ball.
Very notable scene minutes after the Warriors’ horrible loss last night in a hallway as reporters walked by:
Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy Jr. in a deep conversation. Lacob was doing most of the talking. They meet after games all the time. But not usually right where we walk by.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) January 8, 2025
It can be assumed that the championship window for the Warriors is effectively shut. They’re having a tough time dealing with even the mid-level teams around the league, and are just a half-game away from being out of the playoff (and play-in) picture entirely.
On top of that, Steph Curry isn’t getting any younger, and he knows it. When asked about the longevity of his career a couple of weeks ago, the two-time MVP stated that “It is okay to accept that the end is near.”
An Aging Curry Knows That The End May Be Near
The Golden State Warriors have gone through bad stretches during Curry’s time as a player, and he was often able to single-handedly get them past the tough times. But the 36-year-old doesn’t quite have the same offensive effect that he once did. His 22.8 points per game average is his lowest total since the 2011-12 season, and he is shooting three-pointers at a slightly less frequent clip despite seeing a lift in his percentages.
A “Curry Flurry” used to be the remedy that the Warriors sometimes needed to provide them a lift, but the offensive onslaughts are now few and far between. Over the span of his last 9 games played, Steph Curry has posted point totals of 11, 10, and 2.
After playing 7 of their last 8 games at home, Golden State will hit the road this week. They’ll play four consecutive road games starting on Thursday, but have some winnable games against opponents like the Pistons and Raptors. They’ll have a huge test on January 20th when they take on the Boston Celtics, followed by another game against the Kings two nights later.
