Draymond Green’s long-awaited return was not expected to be a quick fix, and that was made clear in the Warriors’ 123-98 home-opening loss to the Portland Trail Blazers Friday at Chase Center.
After Green’s season debut was delayed four games because of foot and conditioning issues, he went scoreless on 0-for-2 shooting and had four rebounds and four assists in 19 minutes in his first game in 10 months. Though Green contributed to moments of budding chemistry, these new-look Warriors (2-3) are still a long way from competing with the top teams in the Western Conference.
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One of those teams is the Trail Blazers (3-2), who are led by perhaps the best backcourt in the league — as long as Klay Thompson, out for the season with a torn Achilles, is injured — in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Portland’s premier duo combined to score 62 points on 22-for-42 shooting and paced an offense that made 46.5% of their 3-point attempts in the game.
For the Warriors, Stephen Curry had 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes, but could not find his 3-point shot (9-for-20 overall, 4-for-12 from 3-point range) as the Warriors overall struggled from beyond the arc, from where they shot just 7-for-35 (20%).
This was a game that got out of hand early, as the Trail Blazers made seven of their first eight 3-point attempts and, with McCollum’s step-back jumper, opened up a 20-point lead a little more than nine minutes into the game.
“The start of the game was very disappointing,” said head coach Steve Kerr. “We just didn’t have much energy and they came out smoking hot. They were making everything.”
Though the Warriors cut the deficit to single digits a handful of times throughout the game, the Trail Blazers maintained a healthy distance en route to a comfortable win.
Here are five takeaways from the Warriors’ loss to the Trail Blazers.
Draymond Green’s debut had highs and lows: Before Friday, it had been 307 days since Green last played, and it looked like it. Limited to 5-6 minute spurts as his conditioning continues to progress, Green had a hard time getting comfortable, especially alongside this unfamiliar supporting cast.
“He needs a few games under his belt to get that conditioning and that rhythm,” Kerr said. “There’s no question it’s going to take some time.”
If there was a bright spot, it was that two of Green’s four assists set up Curry 3-pointers. On one play that was particularly vintage, Green stole the ball from Portland center Enes Kanter near the rim, initiated a fast break and found Curry trailing for a 3-pointer.
This is the sort of thing that has been missing from Golden State’s offense, and something Green should, eventually, be able to provide more as his minutes ramp up.
“We just need everybody available to keep going through these lumps early and try to find our way and find our identity,” Curry said. “And, for me and him, we got to be able to lead that.”
Golden State’s defense continues to allow a record number of 3-pointers: After Portland made 20 of its 43 3-point attempts, opponents are now 85-for-190 from 3-point range against the Warriors’ defense this season. That’s a conversation rate of 44.7%. For reference: the worst defense in the league last season gave up 38.9% shooting from beyond the arc.
What’s the problem? The Warriors are botching rotations, failing to communicate screens and whiffing on personnel-specific coverages. For example, in the first quarter, Kelly Oubre Jr. went under on a screen set for McCollum. That’s giving a career 40% 3-point shooter too much space, especially when Kevon Looney doesn’t provide even a little help.
“We got to get into them, make it difficult,” said Andrew Wiggins.
It’s clear 19-year-old James Wiseman has much to learn, and that was evident in tonight’s loss. On several occasions, Wiseman was pulled into pick-and-rolls, and Portland’s experienced backcourt picked him and the Warriors’ defense apart. On a made 3-pointer from Lillard in the third quarter, Wiseman fails to alert Wiggins that Kanter was coming up to set a screen. Wiggins gets thumped by Kanter’s chest and Wiseman is late to react, giving way to a wide-open 3-pointer for Lillard.
Fixing their pick-and-roll coverage would have a wide-ranging, positive impact on Golden State’s overall defense.
“Defense is about five men being connected,” Kerr said, “and we’re getting a lot of holes at the point of attack. Then we’re getting broken down and teams are swinging the ball into wide open shots.”
Also not helping is how much the Warriors foul. Entering the game, the Warriors were second in the league committing 25 fouls per game. After the loss, Kerr was irritated about allowing Portland to take 29 free-throw attempts.
“We literally talk every game about defending without fouling and then we just foul,” Kerr said. “We just mindlessly reach. So we have to do something about that.”
James Wiseman settled for too many jumpers: Before the game, Kerr hinted that he could begin to roll out some new wrinkles for Wiseman on offense. So, on the first possession of the game, the Warriors ran a play designed to get Wiseman an open jumper. Curry set a pin-down screen, drawing the defense’s attention, and Wiseman sprung open from beyond the arc, from where he’s made 5 of 10 3-pointers this season. He drilled the shot (although his foot was on the line and only got credit for a 2-pointer).
“In my first year and having the play drawn up for myself is pretty awesome,” Wiseman said.
But despite the promising start, Wiseman went on to shoot 2-for-8 overall and 0-for-2 from 3-point range. Too often, he settled for perimeter jumpers instead of using his speed, size and strength to get to the basket. By halftime, he was 1-for-5 and did not take a single shot in the paint. It wasn’t until the third quarter that Wiseman dunked to finish a pick-and-roll with Curry.
While the Warriors are pleasantly surprised by Wiseman’s outside jumper, they need him to first be dominant in the paint. Instead, he settled for the first shot available when he should either use his dribble to get the basket or keep the ball moving in the flow of the offense.
“Being more patient, that’s what I’m working on,” Wiseman said. “I go super fast sometimes.”
Eric Paschall is a small-ball center now: In the two games since Marquese Chriss’s serious leg injury, the Warriors have used Paschall as a center off the bench. In that role, he’s looked comfortable playing in the space afforded by Golden State’s small-ball lineups. Despite the 6-foot-6 Paschall giving up four inches to Kanter, Portland’s backup center, he held his own defensively and took advantage of the plodding Kanter on offense. In just 11 minutes, Kanter was a minus-7.
“I’m fine and I’m good with playing small-ball center,” said Paschall, who occasionally played center at Villanova. “Feel like I’m strong enough to do it.”
There’s a gap between the Warriors and the NBA’s top teams: The Warriors have now lost their three games against playoff opponents — the first two to the Nets and Bucks, and tonight against the Trail Blazers — by a combined 90 points. Portland is the first team they played that is considered a contender in their own Western Conference.
As the NBA aims to limit travel during this condensed 72-game season, it has instituted baseball-style mini-series that will allow teams to complete multiple games against an opponent in a single trip. The Warriors and Trail Blazers will complete their first mini-series when they play again on Sunday.
“We’re looking for that opportunity to come back and prove that we can make those adjustments, play better and compete,” Curry said. “I’m sure they’re going to try to do some things differently, but that’s kind of the cool part about this situation, this little mini-playoff series. We get to make those adjustments and come back.”
