Celtics legend Paul Pierce was recently on the Undisputed Show, where he was asked to comment on the Warriors’ ongoing season. Pierce didn’t hold back in his comments, as he blamed Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr for the team’s recent struggles.
Laying down his argument, Pierce would tell his fellow analysts,
“This is a team that wins at home. They can’t win at home this year. Look at their home record, 18-19 at home and 19-15 on the road. If Golden State was the Golden State that normally won their home games, they are well into the playoffs.”
Pierce would also reason that the Warrior’s struggle somewhere lies in the recurrent change in their lineups. The Celtics guard would point out that the Warriors have had 22 different starting lineups this season. Not only that, but the 2008 Finals MVP also questioned the coaching decisions of Steve Kerr. Going into it further Pierce would add,
“Chris Paul started 14 games and now he is on the bench. Klay started 53 games now he is on the bench. They don’t have an identity….Who are the Golden State Warriors, what is the Golden State Warriors identity… it’s hard to figure out…You can score with the best of them, rebound the ball well…..this lies in the middle, so I have to put a lot of this on Steve Kerr.”
Paul Pierce would cut Kerr some slack as he admitted that the Warriors have had injury and chemistry issues among the players. But even so, the Celtics Legend would point out that the Warriors will have to decide on Klay Thompson soon.
Thompson will be a free agent by the end of the season and has done decently well off the bench. But considering Klay’s hefty fees, it might be wiser for the Warriors to part ways with the sharpshooter.
The Rockets might dethrone the Warriors
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors proved all the doubters wrong back in 2022. The Chef and his crew had proven that they still had what it takes to win at the highest level, taking home the Championship that year. Fast forward two seasons and the Warriors are barely holding onto their play-in spot.
Credits: USA Today Sports
The Warriors are currently sitting at the 10th spot with a record of 36-34. Having lost their recent game against the Timberwolves, the Warriors are within one game of the Houston Rockets. The Rockets holding a record of ( 35-35) will need to work hard, as they can’t afford to drop a single game during the chase.
Houston will have a chance to cover the gap, when the Warriors come to town on 4th April. But even so, the Warriors possess the tiebreaker, which means the Rockets will have to gain two whole games throughout the Final 12.
Looking at the current circumstances, it’s hard to root for the Warriors. The team looks like a one-man show, as the management is unable to pair Curry with a reliable star. On the flip side, the Rockets are a young and scrappy team. Headlined by Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, Houston is a sight to behold. The young team has been taking the league by storm winning eight of their last ten games. But with Curry still healthy, and Klay shooting well, it’s hard to not give the Warriors the benefit of the doubt.
