The 2022-23 NBA season has already served up its fair share of surprises. A lot of the big teams have failed to really get going at the start of this campaign, but amidst all the surprises, the Warriors stand out. The defending champions have lost 5 in a row to fall to 3-7, with only the Rockets and the Lakers having worse records than them in the Western Conference.
We have had Draymond Green calling out the team a few times this season, and head coach Steve Kerr has been quite critical of his players as well. He recently stated that Jordan Poole has been trying too hard and emphasized that ball movement is crucial to winning in the NBA. While their offense could function at a better level than what we have seen so far, the bigger issue for this team is the defense.
The Golden State Warriors Have The Worst Defense In The NBA Right Now
With all the praise that the Warriors have gotten over the years for their offense, their defense has often gone under the radar. With the likes of Draymond, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, and now Andrew Wiggins among their ranks, they have been a great defensive team for much of this dynastic run, but there has been some massive slippage on that end of the floor this season. It has gotten so bad that the Warriors are allowing the most points per game this season (via Hoops Stats).
Highest Opponent Points Per Game In 2022-23
5. Houston Rockets: 117.0 PPG
4. Indiana Pacers: 117.6 PPG
3. Detroit Pistons: 118.9 PPG
2. San Antonio Spurs 121.2 PPG
1. Golden State Warriors: 121.4 PPG
None of the other 4 teams there are expected to come anywhere close to making the playoffs, which speaks to just how bad the Warriors have been. Draymond said that their offense is what is killing their defense, and while that does play a factor here, they just need more effort on the defensive end.
Considering all that the Warriors have achieved over the years, you would back them to sort out this mess eventually. They are too good a team to struggle this much, and it is important to remember that they had some rough stretches last season, too, only to end the season as champions.
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