Steve Kerr and the Warriors are still looking to find a way to mesh their future while looking maximize their championship window this season. At 15-17, the results have been mixed in prioritizing developing their young stars and focusing on winning another championship behind their veteran core.
On Tuesday, their 132-94 loss to the Knicks in Madison Square Garden can be chalked up as a mixed result as they never led and played without Stephen Curry for the third straight game since he went down with a shoulder injury on Dec. 14. Golden State never led after the Knicks opened the game with an 8-0 run and never looked back during a wire-twire-win that gave New York their eight straight win.
The Warriors made it as close as 35-33 in the first-half but the Knicks pulled away over time and entered halftime with a 69-56 lead.
“The Knicks are in a good groove right now. They totally outplayed us,” Kerr said per ESPN. “We sank tonight. We’re trying to hang in there and we will. Another game tomorrow.”
When Anthony Slater of The Athletic asked about the fourth quarter effort Kerr got from Jordan Poole (26 points), Moses Moody (11 points), Jonathan Kuminga (13 points, four rebounds, and four assists) James Wiseman (four points, three rebounds, one steal, two blocks), the nine-time champ said that Golden State’s young guys are “working their butts off” and that they have “to keep our energy and our spirit up” when “things don’t go well.”
Steve Kerr on the struggles from the younger portion of the roster tonight vs Knicks pic.twitter.com/6B5u1T5sj4
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 21, 2022
As the Warriors continue to mesh their maxamzie both their present and future lineups, they will have to see that Poole, Moody, Kuminga, Wiseman, and Andrew Wiggins (when healthy) are capable of taking the torch Curry, KlayThompson, and Draymond Green lit and continue to build on the championship DNA and culture that’s led to four titles since 2015.
