Getty Jordan Poole handles the ball during a game between the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets.
When the Golden State Warriors fell in jaw-dropping fashion to the New York Knicks on Tuesday, there was a sense that things couldn’t have been worse for the club. And, to be fair, losing by 38 points, getting outrebounded 47-29 and coughing up the rock 20 times (for 36 New York points) is next-level futility.
However, 24 hours later against former Warrior Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, the ailing Dubs turned in a performance that may have been just as bad.
Golden State’s D was at its absolute worst versus the Nets, giving up a season-high 143 points to the Kyrie Irving-less crew. Meanwhile, Brooklyn ripped the nylon at a 64.3% clip while bagging 21 of its 33 attempts (or 63.6%) from three-point range.
In the wake of the loss, Warriors coach Steve Kerr had no delusions about the effort or where his club stands with the NBA season’s halfway mark nearing. “You are what your record says you are,” he said. “It was a bad road trip. We are 15-18, so we’re a below-.500 team, and we’ve got to find a way to reverse that.”
As grim as Kerr’s statement was, though, it didn’t hold a candle to the things that ESPN’s Stephen A Smith said during Thursday’s episode of First Take.
Stephen A Smith Goes Scorched Earth on the Warriors
For Smith, the Warriors loss to the Nets wasn’t just bad, it was an organizational embarrassment that should have Golden State’s leadership rethinking reality.
“If I’m Joe Lacob, if I’m Bob Myers, I’m disgusted with what I’m seeing,” Smith said.
“They’re the reigning, defending champions and they deserve a lot of credit for that. But what we need to recognize is that you don’t just get paid for what you’ve done, you get paid for what you’re projected to do moving forward and there’s no way that they signed up for this.”
When Smith mentioned money, it was clear who he was talking about (and he eventually got to naming names). However, he didn’t just take aim at those who have already gotten their bag.
“Jordan Poole got his money, Andrew Wiggins has got his money, [Klay Thompson is] still getting paid, etc. etc. You got to be better than this. [Jonathan] Kuminga — no show last night. Come on, bro… you better than that. Show the hell up. Jordan Poole — 4-for-17, really?”
On the Warriors’ Woeful Defense
More than anything, it was the Warriors’ lack of resistance defensively that seemed to irk Smith, something he clearly chalks up to effort (or the absence of it).
“You down 29 Points in the first quarter; how does that happen? You know how bad you got to be to be down 29 Points in the first quarter? You know how bad you got to be to be down 40 at halftime? You know how bad you got to be to give up 91 points in a half? I mean, good lord, what a disgrace,” Smith said.
“I don’t recognize these Warriors right now because, as Steve Kerr eloquently stated, they were always better than this defensively no matter who was out. Offense is about skill but, more often than not, defense is about effort.”
He wrapped up by firing a couple more stiff shots, this time at the Dubs’ youth movement.
“Where the hell are the Golden State Warriors? There should be an APB out on them right now. Where are they? Where are they? You wear a uniform, don’t you? [Moses] Moody, wasn’t you supposed to be special? Kuminga, wasn’t you supposed to be special? I mean, we ain’t talking about a loss now, we talking about getting your ass kicked. I mean, come on. It’s embarrassing.”