Wednesday night’s 123-115 loss by the Golden State Warriors to the Phoenix Suns was arguably the most tumultuous game of the 2023–24 NBA season. Which is quite a feat, given that the Warriors had already experienced a game this season in which numerous players were removed prior to the scoring of a point.

Far from their first confrontation, Warriors player Chris Paul and referee Scott Foster got into a furious back-and-forth in the second quarter, leading to Paul’s ejection. The Warriors’ bench had a number of strong runs, but the team ultimately lost due to terrible play by its key players.

With 16 points on 6-for-15 shooting (including 1-for-8 from outside the arc), Steph Curry suffered what was perhaps his worst regular season performance. It appears that Andrew Wiggins has likewise returned to the lackluster play that has characterized his season so far. Once again, Wiggins slipped into the background after missing all three of his field goal attempts. One bright spot for the Warriors’ veterans was Klay Thompson’s shooting. In 25 minutes played, Thompson scored 23 points, including 6 from beyond the arc.

The Suns took command in the second half, going on a 23-point run that forced Warriors coach Steve Kerr to bench his starting lineup more than once. It might not have been deliberate, but it certainly had the desired effect. Gui Santos (+3), Dario Šarić (+12), Cory Joseph (+20), and Brandin Podziemski (+20) were the sole Warriors to end with a positive plus/minus. With a total of 10 points, 4 boards, 2 assists, and 3 steals, Podziemski was the complete package. On nine field-goal attempts, Šarić managed to score seventeen points.

The Warriors’ bench managed to trim Phoenix’s advantage to three points in the last second, but they were still too behind to win. Now with a record of 7-9, the Dubs appear to be completely bereft of direction. While the burgeoning youth movement is cause for optimism, the Warriors must wait for their veteran players to gel in order to compete in the NBA, a league known for its superstars.