The Golden State Warriors avoided registering their third consecutive loss last night. They lost their last two games by an average margin of 24 points and were in desperate need of a win to steady the ship. The Pistons made them fight for the 107-104 road win. But despite the positive outcome, Draymond Green remains critical of his team’s status.
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“We kind of lost our edge,” the four-time NBA champion said after the game. “We’ve been in a crappy spot the last month or so, month and a half. And we’re trying to correct that. One win doesn’t change that.”
His team holds the 9th seed in a competitive Western Conference and as Draymond pointed out, they have fallen from grace over the past 45 days. Since the last week of November, the Warriors hold a 7-15 record. The only reason they aren’t entirely out of the playoff picture is their blistering hot 12-3 start to the season.
“I told them, it’s all my fault,” Draymond added.
“I’ve got to get my edge back and then we’ll have our edge back,” the 34-year-old argued. “It’s just about really being in the mix. Being in the mix on the offensive end, being in the mix on the defensive end. Causing havoc. Creating turnovers.”
Draymond Green on the Warriors losing their edge over the past six weeks and how much of that falls on him: pic.twitter.com/BFIdz54nhq
— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) January 10, 2025
It’s hard to tell if the veteran forward has his edge back yet, but he was squarely in the mix against Detroit last night. He posted a respectable stat line against the Pistons, holding down the fort on defense and helping the team find a flow on offense.
Green had 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal in Motor City. He was tenacious on both ends, drawing charges and dunking all over Pistons rookie Ron Holland. However, performances like these won’t change the trajectory of the Warriors’ campaign.
After all, their offense was led by Buddy Hield — who has been inconsistent, to say the least. Stephen Curry had another off night, shooting 5 of 21 from the field and 2 of 14 from long range. Curry, Green and Kevon Looney, all finished the game with a negative plus/minus.
Despite the poor performances from the team’s most tenured players, such wins do speak to Golden State’s depth and perseverance. The Pistons have been on an upward trajectory and presented a real challenge, particularly with Steph struggling to make shots. Without Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski, the Dubs fought hard to end Detroit’s five game win streak last night.
The Warriors know that a sustainable change to their trajectory will require consistent performances from the Chef. Curry reflected on the frustrating campaign he has had thus far after his team lost to a Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat on Tuesday night.
“There’s a lot wrong but what are you going to do about it? You have to dig deep and believe you are a good team. Got to stop talking about it and [do something],” the two-time NBA MVP told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
It seems like Curry and Green are aligned on setting a new precedent for the rest of their season. Their next chance to do so is on Friday night when their Eastern Conference road trip brings them to Indiana.
