The Golden State Warriors have had a rollercoaster season, marked by moments of brilliance and bouts of inconsistency.
With a record of 39-29, they've shown flashes of their championship-caliber play but have struggled to maintain momentum.
The addition of Jimmy Butler brought a spark, leading to a 14-2 run, but their recent loss to the Denver Nuggets has raised questions about their playoff readiness.
In their latest game against the Nuggets, the Warriors fell 114-105 at Chase Center.
Despite the absence of key Nuggets players like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Warriors couldn't capitalize.
Poor shooting, particularly from beyond the arc (24.2%), and turnovers plagued their performance.
Stephen Curry, the team's cornerstone, had an uncharacteristically off night, shooting just 28.6% from the field.
Coach Steve Kerr attributed Curry's struggles to exhaustion, highlighting the heavy load he's carried for the team.
Draymond Green put on the spot by Stephen A. Smith
This loss against a direct rival like the Nuggets didn't just sting the Warriors-it also caught the attention of ESPN's Stephen A Smith.
On "First Take," Smith didn't hold back, calling out Draymond Green for his bold All-Star Weekend guarantee of a championship.
"Who's the person who went on national television during All-Star Weekend and guaranteed a championship?" Smith said.
"Who's the person who went on national television during All-Star Weekend and guaranteed a championship?" @stephenasmith CALLS OUT Draymond Green after the Warriors' loss to the Nuggets pic.twitter.com/BqQftlufDV
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 18, 2025
"That man who opened his mouth and guaranteed the championship is literally on him," Smith continued.
For Smith, if Draymond can hit the three-point opportunities he's got when he is open, the whole team dynamic changes.
Smith is pointing out the obvious: with Green hitting shots, the Warriors will have more chances to have players like Curry or Butler open to make their shots.
On the same show, Shannon Sharpe had a different opinion about what Smith had put forward.
"You think he made four the other night? I need to see him make four hundred before I start to guard him," Sharpe responded.
For the NFL legend, turned sports commentator, teams are not to worry really about Draymond and something he hasn't been able to deliver at any time in his career.
It It appears unlikely that the Warriors' primary defensive player will begin making three-pointers in the near future; not his specialty, and it isn't something he has been working on. The fact that he has done it in the past is but an anecdote at this point.
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This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM.