The Warriors opened their preseason with a 104-101 loss to a depleted Clippers. But the bigger concern was how familiar some of their problems looked. The rotation regulars struggled to find a rhythm in the first half, leaving fans to question whether the same offensive issues that hurt the team last season are already resurfacing.
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Even in an exhibition, the early signs were enough to spark concern.
Warriors reporter Danny Emerman described the opening half as “fairly disjointed” for the Warriors’ rotation regulars. Meanwhile, noting that the backups looked “more connected/organized” after taking over the second half. The contrast was obvious as the reserves helped the Warriors turn the game into a close contest. All that after the starters failed to establish much momentum.
To put things into perspective, the regular rotation ended the first half with a 13-point deficit. And the backups outscored the Clippers by 9 points.
The Clippers also missed several important players. It only meant that the Warriors had an opportunity to test their new-look offense against a weakened opponent. Instead, the team struggled to generate consistent spacing and offensive flow, particularly when the primary veterans were on the floor.
Taking on the 5-out offensive structure, the Warriors just shot 18.2% from the arc.
At the same time, there were positives. Brandon Williams, Charles Bassey, and Malevy Leons earned praise for their performance. But the contribution from the bench could not completely erase the concerns surrounding the main group.
And for fans who watched the Warriors stumble through another inconsistent season last year, the familiar pattern was enough to trigger a much harsher reaction.
Warriors Fans Question Whether Anything Has Changed
A fan was already looking beyond the preseason opener, writing, “it’s going to be worse than last season… this is a bad team with limited offense that won’t be able to keep up with younger teams.”
The Warriors’ age has become an obvious part of the discussion around their roster, particularly in a Western Conference filled with athletic teams. Stephen Curry remains elite. But the Warriors need consistent production around him to avoid becoming overly dependent on difficult shot-making late in possessions.
Another fan focused specifically on the perimeter: “Problem is they don’t have anyone outside Steph who’s a reliable threat from the perimeter.”
That concern was visible without Kristaps Porzingis and Jimmy Butler available. The Warriors can improve their spacing once their rotation is healthy. But Steph cannot realistically be the only player defenses fear beyond the arc. Their five-out approach depends on every position creating enough gravity to keep driving lanes open.
For another supporter, the issue was bigger than one preseason performance: “They ran it back with Kerr, Podz and Draymond and nothing has changed!!?? Huh who would’ve thunk it.”
The Warriors have changed some of their offensive principle.
But much of the responsibilities still fall on familiar players. Brandin Podziemski remains an important creator, while Draymond Green has seen a change in his role. The new structure, therefore, has to produce a different outcome without removing the core that runs it.
The pessimism then reached the standings.
One fan predicted, “Warriors winning less than 40 games this season.”
That is an extreme forecast from a game where key veterans barely played. But it shows how quickly expectations can swing. The Warriors already missed the playoffs last season, and another slow offensive start would make the margin for error even smaller against a younger Western Conference.
Another reaction was more measured: “Bench are good, but starters and key players are not that deep! Need more of a big change.”
That assessment fits the opener. The reserves gave the Dubs life after halftime. But the team’s real ceiling will be determined by its primary rotation. Until Butler, Moody, and Porzingis are back and the new system has time to settle, the Warriors have more questions than answers.
For now, the reactions are less about one preseason loss. It’s more about whether the Warriors can actually look different when the games start counting. The bench provided the encouragement.
But the starting lineup remains under scrutiny.