Schröder’s nightmare Warriors debut a blip amid a lot larger issues initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space
Dennis Schröder’s first factors in his Warriors debut Thursday night time have been a transparent instance of why normal supervisor Mike Dunleavy didn’t waste any time, going out and buying the veteran guard on the first second he might. The speedy guard beat Ja Morant to the spot he was centered on, pulled up and nailed a 12-foot mid-range jumper.
His first two factors additionally have been the Warriors’ first two of the night time after beginning in an 8-0 gap. It solely acquired a lot, a lot worse from there within the Warriors’ embarrassing 144-93 blowout loss towards the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.
The latest Warrior took 4 extra pictures within the first quarter and missed all 4 as Golden State trailed Memphis by 22 factors, 37-15. He took one other 4 within the second quarter. Once more, Schröder got here up empty every time. Solely now, the Warriors’ deficit at halftime grew to 31 factors, 69-38.
Schröder missed his first strive of the second half, giving him 9 consecutive misses, earlier than lastly hitting one other mid-range jumper from 18 toes with a bit beneath seven minutes remaining within the third quarter. The 2 factors made it a 41-point sport, 90-49.
A minute later, Schröder missed once more, one final time. With 5 minutes left within the third quarter and the Warriors down by 46 factors, Schröder’s first sport in Golden State threads got here to an early, unforgettable finish.
“Dennis appeared like a man on a brand new group,” coach Steve Kerr informed reporters after the ugly loss. “It’s all the time troublesome to get traded midseason and play with a model new group and have totally different terminology and all that stuff.”
By means of his first 23 video games taking part in for the Brooklyn Nets this season, Schröder, in his twelfth NBA marketing campaign, was having fun with maybe his greatest offensive output. Whereas his 18.4 factors per sport ranked because the third-best of his profession, it was his effectivity, each contained in the 3-point line and behind it, that shone brightest. Not in his first sport as a Warrior, although. Like the remainder of his teammates, nothing went Schroder’s manner.
He performed a complete of a 22 minutes and scored 5 factors, his second-lowest output this season. Schröder went 2 of 12 from the sector, missed all 4 of his 3-point makes an attempt and cut up his two free throws. Whereas his 5 assists have been a team-high, Schroder’s 4 turnovers additionally have been tied for probably the most on the Warriors.
Blaming him for the Warriors’ spanking can be as unforgivable because the product Kerr’s gamers placed on the ground for 48 minutes. Schröder’s nightmarish debut was solely a blip within the Warriors’ a lot larger issues.
“Look, they did an excellent job on Steph [Curry],” Kerr stated. “Denying him all over the place, making his each catch troublesome. … We’ve misplaced 9 out of 11. We’re reeling and we’ve acquired to get it again, clearly.”
In some way, Schröder was higher than his new backcourt mate and future Corridor of Famer. Curry performed 24 minutes and scored two factors. He took seven pictures and couldn’t convert as soon as, together with all six of his 3-point pictures.
Thursday was solely the seventh time in Curry’s 16-year NBA profession that he didn’t make no less than one shot in a sport, however his 24 minutes performed have been his most with out doing so, as have been his seven missed pictures. That’s additionally what occurs when a 36-year-old coping with bilateral knee soreness, plus current irritation in his neck space, is being guarded for all 94 toes and no one else really scares the opposition into shifting their technique.
The Grizzlies denied and top-locked Curry wherever he went, irrespective of his distance from the ring. They have been keen to let anyone else beat them, or no less than strive.
Andrew Wiggins was the Warriors’ solely efficient scorer, giving them 19 factors on 6-of-11 taking pictures and 4 of 5 from lengthy distance. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins couldn’t have cared much less. Jonathan Kuminga was despatched again to the bench and went 2 of 12 from the sector for 11 factors. Brandin Podziemski scored a team-high 21 factors off the bench, nonetheless, 16 have been within the fourth quarter when the Warriors walked into the ultimate body trailing the Grizzlies by 50 factors.
Heralded initially of the season when the Warriors opened with a 12-3 report, their protection now has allowed 287 factors the final two video games. They allowed 46 first-quarter factors to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night time, solely to look at the Grizzlies rating 37 within the first a number of days later, rotating late and over serving to for wide-open pictures all sport lengthy.
Bringing in Schröder was a wanted, mandatory addition. Judging the transfer off one sport can be asinine.
All the things exterior of Schröder’s first exhibiting was a worrisome pattern the Warriors can’t wait round ceaselessly to resolve if there’s any probability of salvaging this season, and profiting from the ultimate years Curry may give the one franchise he has ever identified.
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