3 biggest disappointments of Golden State Warriors' season to this point
The Golden State Warriors entered the 2023-24 season as one of the favorites to once again win the Western Conference. Sure, the core continues to age, but could they really be counted out? Just last season Golden State was able to upset the two-seeded Kings with basically the same roster they entered this season with.
Despite a roster that seemingly had the pieces to compete, the Warriors have fallen very short of their lofty expectations, putting up a 26-25 record through their first 51 games of the season. The Warriors sit in 10th place in a loaded Western Conference and are just 1.5 games ahead of the Jazz for the final spot in the Play-In Tournament.
To make matters worse, the Warriors were silent at the deadline, making no moves. The team they have now is pretty much what they'll have as they try and make the playoffs, barring a move in the buyout market. Pretty much the entire roster is to blame for Golden State's lackluster start, but there are three disappointments to highlight in particular.
3. Warriors guard Klay Thompson is having the worst season of his NBA career
The Splash Brothers have been key to the Warriors having the success that they've had with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson being not only two of the best players on the Warriors, but arguably the two best shooters in the NBA since they entered the league.
Curry remains his MVP self despite a slight dip in efficiency, but Thompson is in the midst of his worst NBA season. Once known as the best 3-and-D wing the NBA had to offer, Thompson has taken a steep decline both offensively and defensively.
On the season, Klay is averaging just 17.1 points per game, his lowest total since the 2012-13 season, his second year in the league. He's seen his scoring dip, and that's thanks in large part to his inefficiency shooting the ball. He's shot a career-low 41.8 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from 3-point range. It's only his second season shooting below 40 percent from 3 with the other coming back in 2021-22, a season in which he appeared in just 32 games after missing two full seasons due to injuries.
For the Warriors, to go anywhere close to where they want to go, Thompson is going to have to look a lot closer to the player he once was. We've seen it in spurts, but Klay has lacked the consistency that once made him elite.