NBA on Nov. 18: Warriors lose three in a row

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The Golden State Warriors' trip to Texas trip was an unhappy one as the defending champion lost all three games against the Houston Rockets (86-107), the Dallas Mavericks (109-112) and the San Antonio Spurs (92-104) on Sunday.

Warriors' third three-straight loss under Kerr

Rudy Gay #22 made key contributions to the San Antonio Spurs' 104-92 win over the Golden State Warriors. /VCG Photo

Without Stephen Curry, the team's biggest threat in offense, and Draymond Green, the team's biggest threat in defense, the Warriors came to the AT & T Center to challenge the Spurs in a back-to-back game. Furthermore, considering that the rest of their "Big Four," Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, were struggling with their shots, especially from the 3-pt range, this game was going to be difficult for them.

San Antonio and their head coach Gregg Popovich knew exactly what to do with Golden State. Thompson's good but he is a shooter in nature, meaning that he will need someone else to pass him the ball. The Spurs put a tail on Thompson to seal any possible open 3-pt shot for him. After that, Durant was all the Warriors had in offense. Popovich had Rudy Gay who could match KD in both size and athleticism to guard him, forcing Durant to get close to the rim where everyone was watching and ready to obstruct him.

Kevin Durant #35 found the game very difficult under the Spurs' defense that is specifically designed for him. /VCG Photo

Such defense worked as Durant though scored 26 points by making only eight of 25 shots, including a disappointing 12.5 percent for 3-pt rates (1/8). Thompson put down 25 points but made only three three-pointers with 11 shots. As the Warriors' role players failed to respond, like they always did, the Spurs saw their defense tactics work well.

In offense, San Antonio did not bring anything new which was understandable considering their limited resources in this area. However, Golden State's players seemed to lack passion in defense during the game as they neither chased for the 50/50 loose ball nor showed much interest in help. That explained why they narrowed the score difference down multiple times but still saw Spurs expand it again and again with scoring runs.

The Warriors were not concentrated enough in the game, especially in defense. /VCG Photo

As the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Washington Wizards 119-109 on the same day, the Warriors lost their No.1 ranking in the Western Conference.

What happened to the defending champion?

Golden State is after the third straight championship in the 2018-19 season. /VCG Photo

Since Steve Kerr became head coach in summer 2014, the Warriors have become one of the best teams in NBA history and they made it into the following four NBA Finals, winning three of them. As All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins joined in the off-season, the team was expected by many to start a new dynasty in the league.

However, after a good start of the 2018-19 season, Golden State fell into trouble for which there were various reasons: change of back squad, Curry's injury, Green's injury. What should worry the team most was none of the above but decline of desire for victory.

The Chicago Bulls achieved three-straight-championship between 1991-1993 and 1996-1998. /VCG Photo

If we take three consecutive championships as the standard for a dynasty, there have been three dynasties in the NBA in the past 30 years and they belonged to respectively: the Chicago Bulls (1991-1993), (1996-1998) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2002). The truth was that all three of them were over right after the third title and signs of collapse could already be seen after the second title.

Back in 1992, after the Bulls bagged their second trophy, the team ceased to be that united franchise any more. Horace Grant expressed in public his displeasure at the privileged positions of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Pippen, as silent he was, grew tired of being the best second fiddle. The whole team was satisfied with success and so proud of it that players started to care less in most games.

Charles Barkley #34 and Michael Jordan #23 in the 1992-93 NBA Finals. /VCG Photo

As result, Jordan had to carry the team on his shoulder again, like he did before he won the first ring. In the following 1992-93 season, he scored 32.6 points in 39.3 minutes per game, both the highest in the 1990s. In the Finals against Charles Barley and the Phoenix Suns, Jordan had to drop as many as an average of 41 points per game to bring victory to the Bulls. After that, he chose to retire because even Jordan himself felt tired.

Between 1996 and 1998, Chicago in the last year went through a similar scenario which was nothing but worse. First, the team grew much older: Jordan, Pippen and Dennis Rodman were respectively 35, 32 and 37 years old. Second, the franchise was not complete as Rodman moved more of his attention away from the court while Pippen missed almost half of the regular season through injuries. Third, internal conflict was too critical to be fixed: head coach Phil Jackson made it clear that he would leave after the season. General manager Jerry Krause decided to rebuild after the season and tried to trade Pippen for the young rookie Tracy McGrady.

The 1997-98 NBA Finals were the most difficult series for Jordan #23. /VCG Photo

It's true that Jordan made a miracle again to win his second three-straight-championship, but that dynasty immediately fell apart after his departure. The same happened to Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers after 2002.

Pat Riley, who as head coach started the Lakers' "Show Time" in the 1980s, won 1,210 NBA games and took nine rings under his name, pointed out that that championship would kill the champion because it grew increasingly difficult to remain motivated for victory.

Pat Riley, president of the Miami Heat, knows from his own experience how difficult it is for a champion team to remain motivated for victory. /VCG Photo

It's still too early to conclude that the Warriors won't win their third championship in a row. The team played only 18 games, kept the core of the franchise at a good age while signing Cousins to improve their biggest weakness inside. However, they need a wake-up call to realize that everything that is bothering them including an argument between Green and Durant, their sloppy defense and careless offense truly exist and must be dealt with.

Other results on Sunday: (away teams come first)

Memphis Grizzlies 100-87 Minnesota Timberwolves

Los Angeles Lakers 113-97 Miami Heat

New York Knicks 117-131 Orlando Magic

Portland Trail Blazers 119-109 Washington Wizards