The Golden State Warriors find themselves in a dangerous position after a demoralizing 114-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers, who previously went winless in their first five games, now have a victory over the Golden State.
With championship ambitions, the high standard of excellence expected from Golden State is near perfection, and back-to-back losses to surprisingly weak opponents suggest the Warriors are not operating at the level that’s expected of them.
Poor offensive execution stalls the Warriors
The Pacers roared past the Warriors with a 21-5 run in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. Seven minutes remaining, the Warriors led by 10, but their offense stalled at the critical moment.
They shot only 27% from three-point range, and Stephen Curry, who admitted to dropping the ball this time, scored just 24 points on 34.8% shooting with five turnovers as the team leader.
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
This inefficiency on offense created spacing issues, forcing more slow-paced isolation plays in crunch time. When three-pointers aren’t falling, maintaining versatility is key, yet defensive lapses were just as costly.
The Pacers attacked mismatches, with three players scoring over 25 points against the Warriors. Despite being undermanned, Indiana’s poise and resilience in that late surge prove there are no easy nights in the NBA.
Warriors bench is among the worst in the league to start the season
This loss also highlights that the Warriors’ bench depth is not meeting expectations. They rank among the bottom six in the league for team bench scoring over seven games.
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers
While Brandin Podziemski played a solid game as anticipated, he remained a target for the Pacers’ offense, and the other reserves on Golden State combined for only 24 points. Podziemski’s scoring isn’t a winning attribute due to his limited perimeter defense. Emphasizing playmaking as a bridge between the starters and bench is crucial.
Giving players like Buddy Hield and Moses Moody opportunities to shoot will be vital in fixing the bench scoring struggles. Hield, who started and finished last season strong, has yet to see an increase in production, with only two games of 10 or more shots in seven outings.
Golden State must lock in for the upcoming schedule
A disappointing 0-2 road trip drops the Warriors to 4-3, casting doubt on their early-season championship hopes. Curry acknowledged he needs to play better, noting that there were times he made parts of the game “too hard on all of us.”
The Warriors mounted an impressive comeback when Curry was on the bench, which isn’t common.
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Losing that game as they did makes it difficult to stay in championship conversations. With two back-to-back games in the next six, the upcoming schedule will be tough.
While the Warriors might enter as underdogs, they will need to exceed expectations to get this season back on track.