Playing six games in ten days to start the season had definitely taken a toll on the Golden State Warriors.
In this matchup against Milwaukee, a late decision was made by the Bucks to sit Giannis Antetokounmpo, and as Head Coach Steve Kerr noted, the Warriors are historically terrible against teams when they rest their stars.
Testing that championship resolve is important, and while it’s still early in the season, getting mentally right against every team is part of maintaining that resolve because there are no off nights in the modern NBA.
Warriors show poor execution against the shorthanded Bucks
Ten years ago, even a bad game from the Warriors might still result in a win, but today, the skill set of the 10th man is that of a third or fourth option, as proven by Ryan Rollins’ emergence.
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks
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Rollins, a former Warrior, was locked in from the opening tip and scored 32 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. The Warriors failed to contain other role players like Myles Turner, who scored 17 points with seven rebounds, and six other Bucks players scored in double figures.
Milwaukee attacked mismatches and consistently found open shooters, as Kerr pointed out postgame. The Warriors did not execute a switching defensive scheme well at all.
Poor depth performance
There are a few positives to take from this performance. Jonathan Kuminga finished with 24 points and eight rebounds on 63% shooting, showing that Milwaukee’s size advantage wasn’t enough to stop him from imposing his will on the defense.
Curry scored 27, and Butler 23, but both shot inefficiently from the field. Outside of those three, no other Warrior scored in double figures.
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks
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Teams with length and physicality have given Podziemski problems, something he needs to learn to play through or remain on the bench. An air of complacency seemed to cloud the Warriors, as Milwaukee went on runs, and the Warriors’ role players appeared more reliant than they should have been on the Big Three of Butler, Kuminga, and Curry.
A weak bench performance from Golden State allows its versatility to be easily compromised, and this must be addressed. Understandably, veterans may check out against teams without their stars, but the bench should see this as a crucial opportunity, which they did not capitalize on against Milwaukee.
Dubs must be locked in on the upcoming matchup
The Warriors pulled within two late in the fourth, but Milwaukee was too much to overcome. That mental block that comes with playing against starless teams highlights where depth is most vital.
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks
Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
If Golden State’s role players are not performing at a high level, they cannot be considered serious contenders. But it’s still early.
The Warriors lost a winnable game and must bounce back significantly with a matchup against the winless Indiana Pacers.