Golden State Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are facing backlash recently for their use of off-ball screens, sparking a lot of criticism. Off-ball screens are a strategic move in basketball where one player sets a screen for another offensive player who does not have current possession of the basketball, aiming to create scoring opportunities.
But, critics have blamed Curry and Thompson, famously known as the “Splash Brothers,” for over-relying on what they term “illegal screens.” One fan stated, “Bluds are screen merchants, they’ve never been good, they just abuse screens.”
One fan called them “the screen brothers” instead of “the splash brothers.” This controversy adds another layer of challenge for the Warriors, who are struggling this season with a 9-11 record, sitting 11th in the Western Conference.
Former NBA Players express doubt about Stephen Curry’s Warriors this season
The current form of the Golden State Warriors has raised concerns among basketball experts, including former NBA players Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. In their recent podcast episode, “Ticket and The Truth,” they discussed about the Warriors’ current situation and their decreasing playoff chances.
Pierce, expressing major concerns (8/10 on the ‘Worry Scale’), highlighted the team’s failure to utilize its young core and the underperformance of expected key players like Andrew Wiggins.
“I still believe in Steph. I believe in Draymond, that you can still build around them if you put the right pieces-that they can win a championship. But you gotta make some moves. As currently constructed, this team is barely a playoff team.” Pierce stated.
How worried should Warriors fans be?@KevinGarnett5KG and @paulpierce34 think it’s time for a trade.
Watch Ticket and The Truth on our YouTube.#DubNation pic.twitter.com/9SGQoOvtcV
— SHOWTIME Basketball (@shobasketball) December 4, 2023
Even after Stephen Curry’s outstanding averages of 29.1 points and 4.7 assists per game, Garnett and Pierce believe that the Warriors need to make major trades to save the season. They still see potential in building a championship team around Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green, but only if the right moves are made.
Klay Thompson is struggling to find his rhythm this season
Klay Thompson is having a challenging start to the 2023-24 NBA season. His performance has noticeably declined, with an average of just 15.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, along with a 40% field goal percentage.
This drop in form is a major concern for the Warriors, as Thompson has always been a key player in their success. The team’s dependency on Stephen Curry, who remains in top form, is becoming more apparent. The Warriors need to make strategic changes and potentially new additions to the roster to improve their playoff and championship goals.