If you want, you can spin the Warriors season as a positive — they have 30 wins, already more than last season (26). Baby steps, but with a new owner at least there is hope they can improve on that next season.
But on the ground, they have lost five straight and the same old cracks are showing.
Monday night, coach Keith Smart was the anti-Don Nelson and limited Stephen Curry to just 20 minutes, notes Matt Steinmetz at CSN Bay Area:This time last year, Curry had the keys to the car, so to speak -- and the apartment out back, too. He was playing 40-plus minutes per night under Don Nelson and putting up big numbers.
He was running the offense, taking the shots and making the plays. This year he can’t seem to stay on the floor, and when he’s on it, doesn’t appear nearly as comfortable as he was in 2009-10.
Part of that is about defense. Smart demands they play some, unlike Nelson. Curry is not a good defender. He still got the green light from Nelson but Smart is clearly getting a little fed up. But it also is Curry not fitting as well in the offensive system.
Then there is what Steinmetz says about Monta Ellis.
That is one thing — one of many things, really — this team needs to address in the offseason.
How they address it, how aggressively, will tell fans how much the ownership change means real change in the Bay Area.
