There is denying the Warriors are limping into the playoffs. Simply, David Lee and Andrew Bogut got hurt at the worst time possible and the Warriors will have to find a way to get past the Clippers without them. With two of their big men unable to command the point, the Warriors will have to heavily rely on their backcourt.
Stephen Curry is the best player on the Warriors’ squad, but the rest of the guards will need to step their game up. While the Warriors won’t be able to dominate down low, their best recourse might be to play a smaller lineup. While head coach Mark Jackson might perfer a bigger and more defensive lineup, that is no longer an option for the Warriors, according to Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News:
It’s not the primary style for coach Mark Jackson, who prefers a staunch defense to a potent offense. But the Warriors have had their most success against the Clippers with smaller lineups. In some ways, the loss of Bogut might force the Warriors to lean heavily on the versatility and scoring punch of their perimeter players.
Although it is not ideal, if the Warriors plan on advancing to the Western Conference Semi-Finals, they will have to adjust. Klay Thompson and Steph Curry are capable of taking over the game, so the Warriors might want to play to their strengths. However, the Warriors will be at a disadvantage when they try and defend Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, but they might not have a better option at this point.
This is a perfect opportunity for Mark Jackson to silent his critics, he will once again go into the postseason as the underdog and wounded. He will have to adjust and hopefully Jackson is able put his team in the best position to win.