Dub Hub, Daily Warriors Links for 2/15/23: The Warriors are a ‘middle of the pack team’ entering the All-Star Break

Good Morning Dub Nation,

The Golden State Warriors were hoping to enter the All-Star Break on a two-game winning streak, but that was not the case on Tuesday night after they lost to the Los Angeles Clippers, 134-124. Their record now stands at a middling 29-29 going into the break as the sense of urgency rises for a team desperately searching for a way out of their own mediocrity.

Golden State’s record is reflective of their inconsistent play this season. They’ve shown to be capable of beating — or at least putting up a decent fight — against some of the best teams in the league; however, they’ve also suffered several terrible losses against some of the worst teams in the league.

Last night’s game was another example of this as they held a four-point lead at halftime against a good Clippers team that is the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings. The lead disappeared in the second half, and specifically the third quarter after the Warriors were outscored 44-28.

Performances across the team were mostly average, but one of the few bright spots was Draymond Green who finished with a perfect shooting night — scoring 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting from the field including one three-pointer. Although Green performed admirably on the offensive side of the ball, the Warriors lost this game because of their defense. During his postgame press conference, Green urged everyone on the team to accept the challenge of being collectively better on that side of the floor.

As the Warriors officially enter the All-Star Break today, the team will get some much needed mental and physical rest before ramping things back up for their February 23rd matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Here are the rest of today’s stories:

In case you missed it from Golden State of Mind:

• The 17-4 third-quarter run that spelled doom for the Warriors
• Player grades: Warriors vs. Clippers
• Kawhi Leonard scores 33, leads Clippers past Warriors in 134-124 victory
• Andrew Wiggins out, but Klay Thompson will play vs. the Clippers
• Klay Thompson anticipates playing in first back-to-back of the season

Other Warriors News:

• Steve Kerr, Draymond Green sound the defensive alarm bells for the 29-29 Warriors (The Athletic)
• Pistons’ James Wiseman is ready to figure it out after Warriors trade: ‘I’m embracing it (The Athletic)
• Warriors are what 29-29 record says they are at NBA All-Star break (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Draymond delivers honest truth about Warriors’ mediocrity (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Hard truth for the Warriors? Mediocre may be as good as it gets this season (San Francisco Chronicles)

NBA News:

• 2023 State Farm All-Star Saturday Night fields announced (NBA)
• The Hoop Collective: These NBA contenders are in win-now mode, chasing titles with cash (ESPN)
• How the NBA Draft will feel the effects of this year’s wacky trade deadline (The Athletic)
• Luck or Lack? Exploring the Blazers’ three-point offense vs. the Lakers (Basketball News)
• Zach Kleiman, Grizzlies set the stage for their all-in move (SB Nation)