Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson struggling in trying times for Warriors

SAN ANTONIO -- The Warriors have never needed Kevin Durant more than they do now, despite what Draymond Green was quoted as saying last Monday.

They need Klay Thompson to be better, too, even if Thompson seems unconcerned about his offensive inefficiency.

With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green out of the lineup, these are the times when the remaining All-Stars are supposed to take over. Durant and Thompson are the temporary touchstones, leading the way for the rest of the roster.

Instead, Durant and Thompson have been at their worst, propped up by a supporting cast that has done a respectable job.

During a week when the Warriors lost four of five games, including a 104-92 defeat to the Spurs on Sunday, Durant and Thompson can’t seem to find the hoop.

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“They’re both trying desperately to help us get going,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We rely on them pretty heavily for scoring, obviously, particularly with Steph out.

“But we’ve got to get back to our team identity, which is great ball movement, really good defense and playing off of misses. Getting out in transition and running, moving the ball and getting great shots. It’s easier said than done, but it’s something we’ve done for many years.

Durant’s last five games on offense: 39.6 percent (44-of-111) from the field, including 14.3 percent (3-of-21) beyond the arc. For the first time in his Warriors career, he shot below 50 percent in five consecutive games.

Thompson’s last five games on offense: 39.7 percent (51-of-116) from the field, including 26 percent (13-of-50) from deep. He has followed four games in which he seems to have found a rhythm -- 54.8 percent overall, 47.8 percent from deep -- with five in which he’s missing even when getting the best looks.

Durant and Thompson on Sunday combined for 51 points -- on 19-of-51 shooting.

“I thought we had some solid looks,” said Durant, who clearly seems bothered by the disruptive events of the week. “We just missed tonight.”

Thompson shrugged off the idea that either man reduces his shooting volume.

“You do the same thing,” he said when asked about it. “You take 51 shots on Wednesday and hope you make 35 of them instead of whatever we made.

“It’s that simple. This isn’t rocket science.”

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Curry’s absence -- and the constant threat of him scoring from anywhere inside 35 feet -- allows defenses to play tighter on Durant and Thompson. They end up shooting quicker shots, or rushing them, sometimes against contesting defenders.

The Warriors are operating at a higher frequency of possessions with fewer than two passes. Durant believes there is a reason.

“We’re trying to just get good looks,” he said. “I know Warriors basketball is five or six or seven passes in a possession. But we’re not going to get that at this point. It we’re throwing it five or six times, it’s going to end up in a guy’s hands (and he’s) trying to give it back to somebody else.

“So we don’t want to make passes just to make passes, just because it will look good on the stat sheet. We’re trying to find a good shot every time down. Sometimes it might be a quick shot.”

Kerr, naturally, wants more ball movement, under the assumption that it would create easier shots.

“Our team the last few years has been one of the most efficient teams in the history of the league,” Kerr said. “That’s not from going one-on-one. That’s from sharing the ball, the ball moving, everybody trusting each other.

“I admire those guys, trying to get us going. But we’ve got to rely on the whole group. And compete together. That’s extremely rare to see Klay and KD both have tough nights. It’s not going to happen forever.”

If it seems Kerr and Durant are offering conflicting styles, they are, and not for the first time.

Durant is comfortable leaning on pick-and-roll offense. It’s where, as a practically impossible matchup, he can punish defenses. It’s what he feels. Kerr wants the best possible shot, because that’s how a coach thinks.

Truth is, those easier shots are much harder to come by when Curry is not available.

“When Steph’s out of the lineup, the same with Draymond, the ball doesn’t move as much because me and Kevin have to take ownership in scoring,” Thompson said. “We’ve got to do a better job of trusting each other. That’s on me. Move the ball. Be patient.”

Until Durant and Thompson find their offense, no matter how, the Warriors will have a tough time beating even the worst of teams. The other option is waiting for Curry, which in the interim doesn’t help them at all.