Warriors 22-19 at halfway mark but turnovers complicate upgrade plans

Cbssports reports that after a 119-97 win over a shorthanded Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors said they were in a "pretty good" place at the halfway mark of the regular season. Golden State is 22-19 and eighth in the West, has won nine of its last 13 games, ranks fifth in the league in defense and is healthy.

The biggest on-court problem this season has been turnovers: the Warriors rank No. 24 in turnover rate (15.6%, per Cleaning The Glass). Draymond Green leads the league in turnover percentage and has been a frequent source of bad-pass turnovers, and the team's turnover rate is identical with him on and off the court.

There are signs of improvement — Golden State's turnover rate over the last 12 games is 13.7% (per CTG), helped by the returns of De'Anthony Melton and Al Horford and a more stable rotation; Kerr has used the same starting five for a full month (with one exception). Ahead of the trade deadline, GM Mike Dunleavy called a Butler-level acquisition "unrealistic." Jonathan Kuminga will be trade-eligible on Thursday and carries a $22.5 million salary this season (with a $24.3 million team option next season); the Warriors also hold all future first-round picks and could include Moses Moody ($11.6 million) and/or Buddy Hield ($9.2 million) in a deal.

Key Topics

Sports, Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, Turnovers, Jonathan Kuminga