Dub Hub, Daily Warriors Links for 12/27/22: What are the expectations for the Warriors upcoming homestand?

Good Morning Dub Nation,

With a big Christmas Day home win in the books and seven-straight more home games up ahead, the outlook for the Golden State Warriors feels a lot more positive than it did during their disastrous road trip just a week ago. Golden State has been dominant at home this season as evidenced by their 13-2 record at the Chase Center – a vast difference from their road record of 3-16. This disparity in their home-road splits was highlighted in an article on NBA.com.

Via NBA.com:

This home-road stuff is getting even more ridiculous. The Road Warriors’ defense got eviscerated over the last two games of their six-game trip, allowing the Knicks and Nets to score more than 136 points per 100 possessions, with Brooklyn scoring 91 (on 53 possessions) before halftime on Wednesday. But the Home Warriors began their eight-game homestand by holding the Grizzlies to just 109 points on 105 possessions in a comfortable (but intense) Christmas victory. The champs are now tied (with the Grizzlies themselves) for the league’s best home record (13-2).

While many factors account for this difference in play, in general, role players tend to play better at home than on the road. That was on full display during Sunday’s game against the Grizzlies as the bench contributed big minutes towards the team’s win. Several players scored in the double digits including Ty Jerome (14), Anthony Lamb (11), and Moses Moody (10); while Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman contributed with outstanding energy, especially on the defensive end.

These next seven games will be a critical stretch for the Warriors. Currently, they hold the final play-in spot as they are tied for tenth in the Western Conference with the Minnesota Timberwolves. They trail the Utah Jazz by two games for the ninth spot and are only six games behind the conference-leading Denver Nuggets.

With the standings in the West so clustered together and a winnable schedule featuring several teams hovering around or below .500, the Warriors have a golden opportunity to take advantage of this homestand and gain some traction while they await the return of injured point guard Stephen Curry.

Here are the rest of today’s stories:

In case you missed it from Golden State of Mind:

• Preview: Warriors meet Hornets in Chase Center without Curry, Wiggins
• Ranking the Warriors’ Christmas Day technicals
• Klay Thompson and the Warriors clap back at the Grizzlies with some ‘good old-fashioned trash talking’
• How the Warriors targeted, isolated, and exploited Ja Morant
• Draymond Green leads Warriors to 123-109 Christmas Day win over Grizzlies

Other Warriors News:

• Warriors’ big win over Grizzlies should set tone for eight-game homestand (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Refs mistakenly let Klay Thompson take James Wiseman free throws vs. Grizzlies (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Report Card: Grizzlies couldn’t outlast Warriors depth (SB Nation)
• Golden State Warriors Plays of the Week | Week 11 (2022-23 NBA Season) (Youtube)
• Explain: in-depth look at James Wiseman from the Warriors shocking Xmas upset of Grizzlies (Youtube)

NBA News:

• Suns star Devin Booker reaggravates groin injury 4 minutes into game vs. Nuggets (The Athletic)
• Luka Doncic, Pascal Siakam named NBA Players of the Week (NBA)
• Red-hot Nets credit turnaround with keeping it ‘about basketball’ (ESPN)
• Clippers stage improbable late comeback, beat Pistons in OT (ESPN)
• NBA agent on Victor Wembanyama: ‘If he’s not hurt, he’ll be the greatest player ever’ (Ahn Fire Digital)