The Golden State Warriors have already had a lot of highs this season. From Steph Curry breaking the all-time 3-point record to Klay Thompson’s triumphant return to basketball and the Warriors becoming a contender this year, there is a lot to be happy about in the Bay Area.
But in a long season, the good times are always mixed with challenging circumstances.
The Warriors (31-12) are currently in a rough patch. After a long hot streak, they have shown some vulnerability, winning just two of their last seven games. They recently got Thompson back, but Draymond Green will reportedly be out for at least two weeks after discovering that his calf tightness is connected to a disc issue in his back.
Green is playing some of his best basketball this season with averages of 7.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists. He’s also shooting a career-high 53.7 percent from the field. Curry, meanwhile, is dealing with his own hand injury that makes him probable for Golden State’s next match.
The bright side is that the Warriors will head into a seven-game homestand starting with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
The Pistons (10-32) reside in the underbelly of the Eastern Conference but have shown brief flashes of their capability to surprise opponents. They stunned the Utah Jazz last week, plus they won decisively against the Toronto Raptors. Amid those victories were two humbling losses at the hands of league-leaders Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. Nonetheless, the Pistons can pull a rabbit out of a hat and come up with a huge road win if the Warriors are not careful.
Cade Cunningham continues his Rookie of the Year campaign and has recently shown impressive grit to go along with his talent. In their blowout loss to the Suns, the No. 1 overall pick wasn’t able to finish the game because of technical fouls for taunting and complaining. The ejection after his dunk can be a teaching moment for the young forward, but you have to appreciate his passion. In his last four outings, he has averaged 19 points on 51.7 percent shooting.
The Warriors want nothing more than to get back on track and start their home stretch with a victory, while the young Pistons squad will look for an upset against one of the West powerhouses. Tipoff is set at 11:00 AM on NBA TV Philippines via Smart GigaPlay app or Cignal TV.
