Dub Hub, Daily Warriors Links for 3/8/23: Steve Kerr felt a ‘disconnect’ cost them in loss to Thunder

Good Morning Dub Nation,

After 66 games this season, one thing is painfully clear about the 2022-23 NBA season: the Golden State Warriors are a completely different team on the road than they are at home. Tuesday night’s 137-128 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder was the latest evidence of this as not even a 40-point herculean effort from Stephen Curry — which included 10-made three pointers — was enough to earn the Warriors a victory. After the game, Curry vented his frustrations with the team’s road performance once again.

The Warriors are now 7-25 in away games compared to 27-7 when playing at the Chase Center. Tuesday’s game marked their seventh consecutive road loss as the team’s inability to execute on defense continues to be a major problem. Our Joe Viray broke down the struggles with the Warriors’ defense in his latest article.

Via Golden State of Mind:

This lack of effort and attention to detail has been a season long problem for the Warriors whenever they don’t play within the lofty confines of Chase Center. Their home-road splits continue to be a case study of the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of their season.

Their 28-7 record at home includes a defensive rating of 108.1 — equivalent to the best defense in the league. On the other hand, their 119.0 defensive rating on the road is equivalent to the second worst in the league.

Few players graded out well in this game as the frustrations begin to mount once again. The biggest evidence of this was a bizarre sequence between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole at the end of the second quarter. Green flashes open for a pass at the free throw line, but Poole instead gives it to Klay Thompson at the wing. In frustration, Green quits on the play and begins walking away despite Thompson already attempting to throw him the ball resulting in the worst of their 21 turnovers on the night.

Although the Thunder did not score on the ensuing fast break, the disconnect between Poole and Green poetically set the tone for the rest of the game. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr discussed the play and his team’s performance during his postgame interview

The loss on Tuesday brings the Warriors to two gamed above .500 with a record of 34-32. Although they are still currently tied for the fifth seed with the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State is only a half-game ahead of the other play-in teams as they remain right in the thick of a tight Western Conference race.

Here are the rest of today’s stories:

In case you missed it from Golden State of Mind:

• The one possession that captures the Warriors’ defensive struggles on the road
• Player grades: Warriors vs. Thunder
• Shocking news: Warriors lose road game
• What will the Warriors do with Anthony Lamb now that his two-way contract is over?
• Jordan Poole and the disconnect between three-point volume and efficiency

Other Warriors News:

• Warriors give lackluster defensive effort again, lose seventh straight road game (The Athletic)
• Warriors’ Jordan Poole called for bizarre technical foul as slumping shooter has another tough night (CBS Sports)
• Why ‘evolved’ NBA should add 4-point shooting line, per Mychal Thompson (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Frustrated Draymond Green appears to give up on play in Warriors-Thunder (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• ‘Due diligence’ on Warriors’ Anthony Lamb didn’t involve Kendall Ware, lawyer says (SF Gate)

NBA News:

• As Ja Morant steps away, a moment of truth in Memphis and the development of the Grizzlies’ franchise (Yahoo Sports)
• Knicks blow 16-point lead, see 9-game win streak snapped in loss to Hornets: What went wrong? (The Athletic)
• Pau Gasol becomes 12th Lakers player to have jersey retired (ESPN)
• Kia Rookie Ladder: Jalen Williams rises to No. 2 in latest ranking (NBA)
• Sixers Bell Ringer: Joel Embiid’s dominant performance leads Philly past Minnesota (SB Nation)