Steve Kerr didn’t bother dressing anything up after the Warriors’ 127–123 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The box score told the story before he even spoke. Golden State got pushed around, lost the physical battle, and let Portland live on extra chances all night.
When you give up 52 rebounds, 21 offensive boards, and 28 second-chance points, you don’t need deep film study to know what went wrong. Kerr saw it right away, and he sounded like a coach ready to make adjustments.
“Yeah, it’s a concern. I mean, we have been playing relatively small lineups. With Draymond at the five, we’ll think about going back to Quinton to get more size out there, that’s definitely a possibility. So we’ll just have to get a good gauge on our team here this coming week and watch the film and see if that’s something we wanna do.”
The Warriors have built their legacy as a premier small-ball team. Draymond Green at the center position has defined their identity for years. It helped them win four titles and changed the way the league defended then, but this roster isn’t the one that toyed with the NBA for years.
The league has grown bigger and more physical, and teams are making offensive rebounds a priority. And the Blazers took full advantage of that.
The current starting lineup: Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, and Jonathan Kuminga, plays fast and skilled, but not big. When Kuminga was out, Will Richard moved into the lineup. Moses Moody and Quinten Post have started in certain matchups, too.
Now, Kerr has to decide if his team needs size, especially against big and physical opponents. And he has options too.
He can start Al Horford along with Quetin Post or Tracy Jackson Davis. These lineups give up pace, but they bring physicality and size, something the Warriors have struggled with all season long.
What made this loss so worrying is that the Warriors were nearly at full strength, and they got outplayed. And even with their core available, they surrendered the paint, the boards, and the rhythm of the game.
Portland didn’t just win on effort. They won by controlling every late possession. They sliced into the lane, knocked down open threes, and beat Golden State to every loose ball. The Warriors kept giving up extra chances, and the Blazers kept cashing them in.
Butler’s postgame comments reflected that.
“We’re not guarding nobody.”
Curry echoed the frustration, pointing to the rebounding problems and the defensive lapses that dug the hole early. The stars saw the same thing Kerr did: effort was off, and the size disadvantage isn’t something they can ignore anymore.
Golden State still ranks 10th in defensive rating, which shows the season isn’t falling apart. But the defensive rebounding numbers tell a different story. They are 23rd in that category, 19th in opponent second chance points, and consistently giving away possessions that separate wins from losses.
Kerr isn’t overreacting, but he understands the reality. The old formula might not work with this roster. The Warriors can’t rely on being the smartest and fastest team every night if they’re getting beaten up physically. If they don’t get bigger, they’re going to keep losing games exactly like this, nights where Curry shines and the glass does them in.
