The Golden State Warriors are at a critical juncture as they approach the trade deadline, having experienced a concerning start with a significant home loss to the Boston Celtics on Monday. This 125-85 defeat marked the worst home loss during Steve Kerr's tenure as head coach, prompting discussions about the team's current trajectory. In a post-game interview, Stephen Curry described the performance as 'not great,' emphasizing the need for a positive response to such a setback.

Curry acknowledged the importance of staying competitive until key players return from injury, stating, 'But just the idea that we can keep ourselves afloat until we get some guys back can kind of make or break our season to be honest.' He further explained how a stretch of six to eight games could significantly influence the team's direction moving forward. This loss not only highlighted the Warriors' struggles, but also represented their largest home defeat under Kerr and the most substantial since a 149-104 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in January 1985. Additionally, the 85 points scored by the Warriors stands as the lowest in a home game featuring Curry during Kerr's coaching era, as noted by ESPN Stats Information.

Injuries to key players contributed to the Warriors' poor performance against the Celtics. The starting lineup for Golden State consisted of Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Dennis Schröder, and Gary Payton II, with Jonathan Kuminga sidelined for his eighth consecutive game due to a sprained ankle. Further complicating matters, the Warriors announced that Draymond Green would be unavailable for at least one week because of a mild calf strain. The team's dynamics shifted dramatically when Curry was off the court, with the non-Curry minutes in the first half proving particularly challenging. For instance, during the first half, Schröder concluded with a minus-19 in just 12 minutes of play. At halftime, analysis revealed that the Warriors were plus-2 with Curry on the floor for 17 minutes, while they suffered a minus-17 in the seven minutes he was off the floor. This defeat came shortly after Curry and Green expressed their desire for the front office to avoid making a 'desperate' trade move, highlighting their apprehension about the availability of impactful players that could elevate the current team's performance towards title contention. Since a promising 12-3 start, the Warriors have struggled, losing 18 of their last 27 games, placing them in a tie with the Phoenix Suns for 10th in the Western Conference standings. With eight games remaining before the trade deadline, the Warriors will face several challenging opponents, including the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz (twice), Oklahoma City Thunder, Suns, and Orlando Magic.