Dennis Schröder’s nightmare Warriors make eye-catching debut amid bigger problems – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

On By Littum

Dennis Schröder’s first point in his Warriors debut Thursday night was a clear example of why general manager Mike Dunleavy wasted no time going out and acquiring the veteran guard the first moment he could. The speedy guard beat Ja Morant to where he was focused, pulled up and hit a 12-foot mid-range jumper.

His first two points were also the Warriors’ first two of the night after starting in an 8-0 hole. It only got much, much worse from there in the Warriors’ embarrassing 144-93 blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.

The newest Warrior took four more shots in the first quarter and missed all four as Golden State trailed Memphis by 22 points, 37-15. He took four more in the second quarter. Again, Schröder came up empty each time. Only now did the Warriors’ halftime deficit grow to 31 points, 69-38.

Schröder missed his first attempt of the second half, giving him nine consecutive misses before finally hitting another mid-range jumper from 18 feet with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter. The two points made it a 41-point game, 90-49.

A minute later, Schröder missed again, one last time. With five minutes left in the third quarter and the Warriors down by 46 points, Schröder’s first game in the Golden State streak came to an early, unforgettable end.

“Dennis looked like a guy on a new team,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the ugly loss. “It’s always difficult to be traded in the middle of the season and play with a whole new group and have a different terminology and all that.”

Through his first 23 games for the Brooklyn Nets this season, Schröder, in his 12th NBA campaign, enjoyed perhaps his best offensive output. While his 18.4 points per game ranked as the third-best of his career, it was his efficiency, both inside the 3-point line and behind it, that shone brightest. Not in his first match as a Warrior though. Like the rest of his teammates, nothing went Schroder’s way.

He played a total of 22 minutes and scored five points, his second-lowest this season. Schröder went 2 of 12 from the field, missed all four of his 3-point attempts and split his two free throws. While his five assists were a team-high, Schroder’s four turnovers were also tied for the most on the Warriors.

Blaming him for the Warriors’ beating would be as unforgivable as the product Kerr’s players put on the floor for 48 minutes. Schröder’s nightmarish debut was just a blip in the Warriors’ much bigger problems.

“Look, they did a good job with Steph (Curry),” Kerr said. “Denying him everywhere, which makes every catch difficult. … We’ve lost nine out of 11. We’re on a roll and we’ve got to get it back, obviously.”

Somehow, Schröder was better than his new quarterback mate and future Hall of Famer. Curry played 24 minutes and scored two points. He took seven shots and failed to convert once, including all six of his 3-pointers.

Thursday marked just the seventh time in Curry’s 16-year NBA career that he didn’t make at least one shot in a game, but his 24 minutes played were his most without doing so, as were his seven missed shots. It’s also what happens when a 36-year-old dealing with bilateral knee soreness, plus recent inflammation in his neck area, is guarded for all 94 feet and no one else really scares the opposition into changing their strategy.

The Grizzlies denied and top-locked Curry wherever he went, regardless of his distance from the hoop. They were willing to let someone else beat them, or at least try.

Andrew Wiggins was the Warriors’ only efficient scorer, giving them 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 4-of-5 from long range. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins couldn’t have cared less. Jonathan Kuminga was sent back to the bench and went 2 of 12 from the field for 11 points. Brandin Podziemski scored a game-high 21 points off the bench, but 16 were in the fourth quarter as the Warriors entered the final frame trailing the Grizzlies by 50 points.

Heralded at the beginning of the season when the Warriors opened with a 12-3 record, their defense has now allowed 287 points the last two games. They allowed 46 first-quarter points to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night, only to watch the Grizzlies score 37 in the first a few days later, rotating late and again and helping get wide-open shots all game.

Bringing in Schröder was a necessary, necessary addition. Judging a move from a match would be mind boggling.

Anything short of Schröder’s first showing was a troubling trend that the Warriors can’t wait forever to address if there’s any chance of salvaging this season, and by capitalizing on the last few years, Curry can give the franchise the only franchise he’s ever had. known.

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