Amid their turbulent start to the 2022-2023 season, the Golden State Warriors suffered a huge blow when Stephen Curry was sidelined with shoulder injuries. The struggling GSW further fell down the standings.
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Dub Nation expected things to be better when their 2-time MVP would return to the lineup. However, much to everyone’s surprise, despite playing against the Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton-less Phoenix Suns, the defending champs suffered a 125-113 loss.
Also Read: LeBron James to Team up with Stephen Curry and the Warriors? NBA Exec Makes Astonishingly Wild Claim
After starting extremely slow, The Baby-Faced Assassin did catch some momentum in the 4th period, scoring 16 of his 24 points in the final period.
Welcome back, Stephen Curry! 👌 pic.twitter.com/sXOBhYIATB
— NBA (@NBA) January 11, 2023
However, with home losses against the Pistons, the Magic, and the shorthanded Suns, contrary to what many believed, the San Francisco-based franchise ended up stumbling down to #8 in the West.
“I’m not liking what I see”: Shannon Sharpe on the Warriors’ recent form
After Steve Kerr’s boys’ disappointing loss, Shannon Sharpe was merely one of many to call out the ailing Warriors.
In the recent-most episode of “UNDISPUTED”, the former NFL star stated that the Golden State didn’t possess the ear factor that they once did a few years ago. Revealing his disappointment in Curry and co., Sharpe said:
“Now they’re struggling at home… Everybody expected Steph to come back and be a little rusty. He’s been out 11 games, so obviously his shooting touch was off. He did score 24 points but it took him 22 shots to get those points.
It’s not a good look when you come back with that lineup and the Suns are without D-Book, they’re without Ayton, they’re without CP3, they’re without Cameron Johnson, they’re without Cam Payne and they still beat you by 12. That’s not a good look.
The fear factor that the Warriors used to possess is no longer there. Who knows that they can get it back? I’m not liking what I see. Even with Steph, they could not win on the road. You look at their record, they have one of the worst win-loss records on the road of any defending champ in the modern era. So, no this is not the same team.”
“The fear factor the Warriors used to posses is no longer there. I’m not liking what I see.”
— @ShannonSharpe on Steph Curry, Warriors sitting a game under .500 pic.twitter.com/GATz7BTtX6
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 11, 2023
Can Stephen Curry regain his form prior to the injury?
Coming off such a serious injury, of course, Chef Curry was going to have an off night. However, Bay Area fans need not worry.
A player of the likes of Curry doesn’t take a lot of time to get his gears doing. Further, the 8-time All-Star has historically proved to elevate his game after the halfway mark of the duration of the season.
Over the span of 27 games, the reigning MVP Finals has been putting up 29.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. Being merely 2 games behind the #5 Kings, behind the All-Star co-leadership of Steph and Draymond, the Warriors still have a majority of the campaign to rise up the standings.
Also Read: Magic Johnson Showers GSW Superstar With Extraordinary Praise