You have to think long and hard to remember a time when things were this bleak with the Golden State Warriors. Even the 2019-20 pandemic season, when Stephen Curry was injured for most of the year and the Warriors finished with the worst record in the league, was considered a one-off and had the hope of a shiny top draft pick attached to it.
Hope of any sort is difficult to identify this season, as the Warriors were blown out for the second consecutive game on Wednesday — an embarrassing nationally televised 141-105 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans — to conclude a less-than-inspiring 2-5 homestand. Golden State is now 17-20 and sits in 12th place in the Western Conference, ahead of only the Grizzlies, Trail Blazers and Spurs.
While most of the Warriors’ losses this season have been close (they’ve played the most clutch games in the league), these last two to the Pelicans and Toronto Raptors haven’t been remotely competitive. That’s led the normally placid Chase Center fans to engage in various rounds of boos, an unfamiliar chorus to the winners of four titles in the past 10 seasons.
When asked how he felt about his home fans serenading his team with boos, Curry gave an honest response that provides a clear window into the state of the Warriors right now.
“We’re obviously struggling. There’s nothing to cheer about. I don’t take it any type of certain way,” Curry said of the boos from the home crowd. “Honestly, I’m booing myself, booing our team in my head because of the way we’re playing, so it is what it is. Fans are going to react the way that they want. It’s our job to give them something to cheer about and we have not done that.”
“Honestly, I’m booing myself. Booing our team in my head because of the way we’re playing.”
Steph addresses fans’ displeasure during the last two home games pic.twitter.com/vky26BWeWo
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 11, 2024
When your legendary point guard and leader is “booing our team in my head,” you know there’s something seriously wrong. For what it’s worth, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr agreed that the fans have every reason to boo them right now.
“We deserved it, for sure. Fell behind immediately,” Kerr said after Wednesday’s loss. “I think we’re just lacking confidence right now. You get to a stage, sometimes, where you just kind of lose your belief. And it happens. And that’s what’s happened right now with our team the last few days.”
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A man of few words, Golden State sharpshooter Klay Thompson didn’t quite share the viewpoint of his longtime teammate and coach.
“I don’t care,” Thompson said of the boos. “You supposed to lose sleep over it?”
In an otherwise brilliant age-35 season, Curry has struggled recently with the weight of being the team’s only consistent offensive threat, as well as their main veteran leader with Draymond Green (return from suspension) and Chris Paul (hand surgery) on the sidelines. The Warriors are expected to be active heading into the Feb. 8 trade deadline to salvage what could be one of a handful of elite seasons left in Curry’s Hall of Fame career.
“We have a standard that’s pretty evident that if things stay the same, that’s the definition of insanity, right?” Curry said on Wednesday night when asked about potential moves. “Keep doing the same thing, expecting a different result.”
Things don’t get any easier for the Warriors, who begin a four-game road trip in Chicago on Friday.