The signs of the apocalypse are upon us, and one of them is undoubtedly Steph Curry scoring 60 points in a Golden State Warriors loss. But what makes it even more terrifying is that this defeat came at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, a team that is currently five games under .500 and seemingly in the midst of a roster rebuild.
The Hawks have made it clear that a significant portion of their team is on the trade block, and it’s evident that they are looking to build around Trae Young or potentially embark on a full-on rebuilding process. The fact that the Warriors lost to a team in such a situation is cause for concern.
The Warriors themselves are struggling this season, sitting four games below the Mendoza line and fighting for the last play-in spot. Just a year ago, NBA fans were questioning whether the Golden State dynasty was over as the team grappled with finding its footing. Many observers had already written off the 2022-23 campaign as a year from hell.
While the attention has been on Draymond Green’s altercation with a teammate, the most alarming aspect is that the Warriors haven’t looked truly in sync since their championship run three seasons ago. Despite Curry’s ability to get hot like no other player in the league, the team has lost the past three games in which he scored over 50 points. Before 2022, the Warriors had an impressive 8-2 record when Curry surpassed the 50-point mark.
It’s worth mentioning that cliches like “in a vacuum” and “you are what your record says you are” don’t apply when discussing athletes. We can’t simply take records at face value or consider players in isolation. However, these cliches are precisely why we are not discussing the Warriors in the same light as the Hawks this season.
There are even suggestions that Klay Thompson, one of the key players in the Warriors’ recent success, should be considered expendable. Some argue that players like Dejounte Murray, who have better numbers and can still play defense, should be higher on the priority list. Of course, such a trade would likely cause an uproar among Dub nation, as Thompson’s performances during the team’s title parades have endeared him to fans.
Sentiment is a powerful force, and when Curry explodes for 60 points, fans and media members tend to talk themselves out of making bold proclamations. They don’t want to repeat the same false takes as before and question the greatness of the best shooter in NBA history. If Curry can score 60 points, it’s seen as enough evidence to give the Warriors the benefit of the doubt.
But what if this 60-point performance comes in a loss against a team clearly heading in the wrong direction? In the game against the Hawks, Green, Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins combined for a dismal 8 of 34 shooting from the field. Thompson has only scored over 30 points twice this season, while rookies like Cam Thomas and Scoot Henderson have already achieved that feat.
It’s rare to witness a group of players go through the entire lifecycle of a professional athlete together. It takes an extraordinary amount of success and chemistry to even be given the opportunity. The current season for the Golden State Warriors, which may not be a year from hell but rather a reality check, is a reminder of why so few teams reach that level of longevity and sustained excellence.
In conclusion, the Warriors’ loss to the Hawks, coupled with Curry’s extraordinary scoring performance, highlights the challenges and uncertainties that the team is facing this season. While there is still hope for a turnaround, it’s clear that the once-dominant Warriors are not the same force they once were. Only time will tell if they can recapture their former glory or if this is indeed the end of an era.
