https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/jenkins/article/Warriors-Curry-hurt-What-now-14612333.php
Warriors were bad before Stephen Curry’s injury. Now the nightmare beginsWe learned all about haunted houses when we were kids, shrinking in terror at the movie theater as the ghosts of prior inhabitants tormented the folks just moving in. There is no avoiding the past, those films told us, if it’s powerful enough to dismantle the present.
Can a brand-new building be haunted? Is there really any such thing as a curse? Surely it’s all nonsense, the residue of imagination gone overboard, but one thing is for certain about the Warriors’ new home. Chase Center is off to a creepy start. There is no game Thursday night, but it’s Halloween, and folks around the Mission Bay area would be wise to stay clear of the place. You might get crushed by a fallen dream.
Putting aside the flights of fancy, Warriors co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber are living a real-time nightmare. Team president Rick Welts, who did such a masterful job orchestrating the luxurious new palace, must be wondering what he did to deserve this. Two games in, and Chase Center stands for misery and despair.
Unlimited Digital Access for 95˘
Read more articles like this by subscribing to the San Francisco Chronicle
SUBSCRIBE (https://offers.sfchronicle.com/readmore/06?origin=sfc.inline.ard.offers&variant=orig_redbtn&ipid=suboffers&returnUrl=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/jenkins/article/Warriors-Curry-hurt-What-now-14612333.php)
Things will undoubtedly get better. Everything about the Warriors suggests class, lofty success and progressive thinking. Three championship trophies signify a memorable period in NBA history, and if a few more breaks had gone their way, the total could be five.
Related Stories
https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/54/17/18531275/9/gallery_medium.jpg
WARRIORSBY JON SCHULTZ‘Absolutely insane’: Twitter reacts to Stephen Curry...
(https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Absolutely-insane-Twitter-reacts-to-14634314.php)
https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/54/17/18531286/5/gallery_medium.jpg
WARRIORSBY RON KROICHICKStephen Curry’s broken hand should prompt Warriors to peer...
(https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/With-Stephen-Curry-s-injury-Warriors-season-14600256.php)
https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/54/16/18531202/9/gallery_medium.jpg
WARRIORSBY CONNOR LETOURNEAUStephen Curry breaks hand as Warriors fall to Suns
(https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Stephen-Curry-breaks-hand-as-Warriors-fall-to-Suns-14598326.php)
https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/54/13/18531052/17/gallery_medium.jpg
WARRIORSBY CONNOR LETOURNEAUWarriors’ Stephen Curry suffers broken left hand in game...
(https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Stephen-Curry-won-t-return-after-leaving-Suns-14595492.php)
https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/54/17/18531275/9/gallery_medium.jpg
WARRIORSBY RON KROICHICKStephen Curry’s injury leaves Warriors with essentially no...
(https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Warriors-wobble-through-miserable-first-half-14594083.php)
Now that Stephen Curry is sidelined with a broken hand (https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Stephen-Curry-breaks-hand-as-Warriors-fall-to-Suns-14598326.php), his return to action uncertain, the Warriors find themselves in the basement of a skyscraper. Last June 10, in a Game 5 Finals victory at Toronto, the starting lineup was Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green — an assemblage for the ages and the only team in history with three Mount Rushmore-brand shooters.
That was the last we saw of Durant, and here we are, less than five months later, watching the Warriors prepare for Friday’s home game against San Antonio with the likes of Jordan Poole, Glenn Robinson III and Eric Paschall. Green must feel like a guy who showed up for a party and found it shackled by burglary. He’s always the voice of truth and perspective, but after Wednesday night’s discouraging loss to the Phoenix Suns, (https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/With-Stephen-Curry-s-injury-Warriors-season-14600256.php)he turned away from the postgame interview room. There really wasn’t much anyone could say.
It’s one thing to ponder life without Curry, the team’s only sure-fire scorer and the only player (in Thompson’s absence) capable of leading them through the maze of Western Conference excellence and into the bottom rung of the playoffs. Just as bothersome for Golden State fans was the sight of this team before Curry got hurt.
SUBSCRIBER BENEFIT
https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/01/37/57/17169383/4/rawImage.jpg
Did you know you can access The Chronicle’s photo archives?
https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/01/37/57/17169399/4/rawImage.png
Remembering the Leslie Salt Mountain: Bay Area’s odd, glistening landmark
(https://www.sfchronicle.com/vault/fromthearchive/)
The Suns went on a 30-1 run at one point. The Warriors’ pathetic defense laid out a nice red carpet, good for an evening’s worth of free passage. Curry himself was awful, committing four turnovers, firing two 3-point shots off the side of the backboard and having another blocked by Aron Baynes. The sounds of booing were heard in the second quarter — that’s right, a testy and uneasy crowd just four games in.
Before the season even started, it seemed clear the Warriors weren’t in the same class as the Lakers, Clippers, Denver, Utah or Houston in the West. Now it’s a forest of unbridled optimism. Dallas is getting spectacular play from Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. Minnesota has a revitalized Andrew Wiggins and an unstoppable-looking Karl-Anthony Towns. Memphis has turned loose rookie Ja Morant to everyone’s amazement. San Antonio has yet to lose a game. And the Suns look decidedly improved after years in the doldrums.
As the calendar turns, the absurdly young Warriors will find some cohesion. On a trial-and-error journey, some experience will be gained. It’s one hell of a teaching opportunity for head coach Steve Kerr and his staff, although they probably aren’t certain exactly where to start.
The biggest problem will be selling fans on Chase Center. A sold-out ticket ledger doesn’t mean much if people (a) don’t show up or (b) sit on their hands all evening, figuring on leaving early. It’s a plain fact that outside of Curry and Green, the Warriors’ roster is starkly free of charisma. Bursts of talent and potential, absolutely, but a pay-to-see player? None in sight.
The most plausible solution is to just tank this season — at least in terms of driving hard for the playoffs — and start over next autumn with a lottery pick in hand, Thompson back on the court, and the Curry-Green duo returning from a gold-medal stint at the Olympics. Can you imagine, though, what it would take for Lacob to accept such retreat? It’s just not how he thinks.
Whatever franchise restoration is in store, it will not come quickly — and the territory of doom doesn’t stretch much farther than the San Francisco city limits. There are folks in Oakland who feel the Warriors are getting clobbered by karmic payback. Around the league, where teams found themselves consumed by jealousy and hatred over the Warriors’ success, there are smirks and high-fives. What a stunning state of affairs.
Bruce Jenkins is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email:
[email protected] Twitter: @Bruce_Jenkins1 (https://twitter.com/Bruce_Jenkins1)
https://s.hdnux.com/photos/20/41/45/4331899/9/square_small.jpg (https://www.sfchronicle.com/author/bruce-jenkins/)
Bruce Jenkins (https://www.sfchronicle.com/author/bruce-jenkins/)Follow Bruce on:
https://www.facebook.com/SFChronicle/bruce_jenkins1 (https://twitter.com/bruce_jenkins1)
Bruce Jenkins has written for the San Francisco Chronicle since 1973 and has been a sports columnist since 1989. He has covered 27 World Series, 19 Wimbledons and many other major events, including the Super Bowl, World Cup soccer, NBA Finals, four major golf tournaments and U.S. Open tennis championships.
He graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1966 and UC Berkeley with a B.A. in journalistic studies in 1971.
Past Articles from this Author:
Draymond Green’s role is crucial as Warriors climb off the mat (https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/jenkins/article/Draymond-Green-s-role-crucial-as-Warriors-show-14572275.php)
LeBron James: ‘These LA fires aren’t no joke.’ (https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/LeBron-James-These-LA-fires-aren-t-no-14568674.php)
Warriors-Thunder matchup relegated to obscurity, but there’s hope (https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/jenkins/article/Warriors-Thunder-matchup-relegated-to-obscurity-14564926.php)
Most Popular
Cal Fire’s beatdown of Kincade intensifies, reaches 60% containment (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Overnight-battle-Cal-Fire-s-army-of-4-900-vs-14573276.php)https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/53/02/18526396/3/square_small.jpg (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Overnight-battle-Cal-Fire-s-army-of-4-900-vs-14573276.php)
53,000 PG&E customer accounts remained without power Wednesday night (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Live-updates-Winds-kick-up-Kincade-Fire-flares-14573324.php)https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/52/66/18525605/9/square_small.jpg (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Live-updates-Winds-kick-up-Kincade-Fire-flares-14573324.php)
North Beach gem Kennedy's Pub & Curry House is closing (https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/North-Beach-gem-Kennedy-s-Pub-Curry-House-is-14575567.php)https://s.hdnux.com/photos/46/42/03/10100965/7/square_small.jpg (https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/North-Beach-gem-Kennedy-s-Pub-Curry-House-is-14575567.php)
SF teacher’s housing nightmare: Waking at 3:30 a.m. to drive from Sacramento home (https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/heatherknight/article/SF-teacher-s-housing-nightmare-Waking-at-3-30-14569565.php)https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/50/64/18517284/9/square_small.jpg (https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/heatherknight/article/SF-teacher-s-housing-nightmare-Waking-at-3-30-14569565.php)
Warriors’ Stephen Curry suffers broken left hand in game against Suns (https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Stephen-Curry-won-t-return-after-leaving-Suns-14595492.php)https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/54/13/18531052/17/square_small.jpg (https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Stephen-Curry-won-t-return-after-leaving-Suns-14595492.php)
Kincade Fire could burn for ‘weeks if not months’ following containment (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Live-updates-Kincaid-Fire-barrels-toward-Santa-14567218.php)https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/47/71/18513499/13/square_small.jpg (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Live-updates-Kincaid-Fire-barrels-toward-Santa-14567218.php)
Will it rain soon and end Bay Area’s fire season? It may be up to Russia (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Will-it-rain-soon-and-end-Bay-Area-s-fire-14578650.php)https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/53/55/18529109/7/square_small.jpg (https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Will-it-rain-soon-and-end-Bay-Area-s-fire-14578650.php)