Former NBA champion explains why the Warriors are struggling lately

Following an impressive start of the season, the Golden State Warriors have hit a bit of a wall lately. They’ve struggled to keep up and Stephen Curry’s efficiency has taken a major hit, even despite Klay Thompson’s comeback.

And, while some may attribute the Warriors’ woes to Thompson’s return from injury, Klay has given them a big defensive boost and another scoring threat, so blaming him may not be entirely accurate.

Instead, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins believes that Draymond Green’s absence is the true reason behind the struggles. Per Perkins, Green is the heart and soul of that squad and they now miss his ‘swag’.

NBA News: Kendrick Perkins Says Draymond Green’s Absence Is Why The Warriors Are Struggling

“This game showed us, last night and the past few games why Draymond Green is the heart and soul of the Golden State Warriors,” Perkins said on NBA on ESPN. “You know they swag has been missing and it’s missing because of Draymond. We already know how he gets Steph involved, we know his defensive intangibles, but when you are getting off that bus and you have a certain type of swag, it’s because you have your big brother.

“So when you have Draymond and you are on the road and you get off that bus and it’s hollow, now all of a sudden you could look and watch yourself walk because you’re dripping so much,” Perkins elaborated.“But they are missing Draymond and some people wanna say, oh but he’s not scoring 50, nobody gives those guys swag.”

Green’s numbers aren’t exactly impressive. He’s averaging 7.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. Then again, his impact goes ways beyond the stat sheet, as he’s a leader with a high basketball IQ and one of the best defenders on Earth.