The Warriors' grand stage, if you're alive, just come.

Why watch the Warriors against weaker teams? It inevitably turns into a surprising upset. Before today’s match, three teams in the league had yet to win: the Eastern Conference’s Pacers and Nets, and the Western Conference’s Pelicans. After today, only the Nets and Pelicans remain winless, since the Pacers also suffered a loss against the Warriors.

What kind of Pacers team is this? Without Haliburton, Nembhard, TJ, Mathurin, or Toppin. More than half of last season’s Finals roster was missing, making them one of the most injury-ridden teams so far this season, having even used hardship exceptions.

However, the more depleted the team, the more prone the Warriors are to making strange mistakes against them. With 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Curry hit a three-pointer, putting the Warriors up 104-93 by 11 points. But the lineup on the court was extremely unusual — a rare small-one, big-four: Santos, Poole, Draymond, Kuminga, and Curry.

Today, Santos and Poole played decently, and I understand Coach Kerr wanted to reward these players by keeping them on the court. But if that’s the case, why not just keep the bench players on? The Warriors were still leading. Bringing Curry back in with such an unfamiliar lineup to fans and the Warriors themselves clearly showed they didn’t take the Pacers seriously.

This lineup had Curry as the only ball-handler, yet he didn’t even bring the ball past half-court. Draymond caught the ball in the backcourt, Sika pressed him, and Draymond threw an elbow, resulting in an offensive foul, gifting the Pacers a possession. In the fourth quarter, Draymond kept making mistakes, repeatedly sending Pacers players to the free-throw line.

After several possessions, Kerr finally took out Poole and Santos, but then put in Horford and Butler. Butler can handle the ball, but he immediately committed a turnover leading to a fast break for the opponent.

From 104-93 to 104-102, the Warriors' lineup was hit by a 9-0 run, bringing the game back into suspense. Only then did Kerr replace Horford with Poole, restoring the starting lineup. However, by this point, the Pacers’ morale and rhythm had been fully revived, and in the clutch moments, they were the more confident side.

So in the final moments, we saw young Pacers player Quenton Jackson hit two crucial three-pointers, Sika nailed a three in the last minute, and ultimately Jackson scored the game-winning mid-range jumper. The Pacers went on a 21-5 run in the final six minutes to secure their first win of the season.

Whenever I criticize Kerr, some say I’m defending Curry. But clearly, Curry bears significant responsibility for today’s loss. He shot 8 for 22, 4 of 15 from three, scored 24 points with 5 turnovers, and had a -21 plus-minus, showing poor form.

After a hot start in the first three games, Curry’s performance has leveled off, and today was arguably his worst game this season. Speaking about Curry, Kerr said: "Tonight wasn’t Curry’s night. He didn’t play like himself. It was a tough night."

Every time the Warriors lose to a weaker team, they introduce you to a new player. Today it was Pacers’ two-way contract player Quenton Jackson. In 31 minutes, he shot 10 of 16, 3 of 4 from three, scoring 25 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and a +20 plus-minus.

Before today, Jackson had played 42 NBA games over three years on two-way contracts, one year with the Wizards and two with the Pacers, never securing a standard NBA contract. Tonight’s career-best performance against the Warriors might bring him closer to a full contract.

The Warriors’ games in recent years often look like this: against weak or depleted teams, they play loosely as if winning is guaranteed. But this Warriors team is no longer the dominant force it once was; their margin for error has shrunk, and they’ve lost too many games recently due to underestimating opponents.

After seven games, the Warriors stand at 4-3, seventh in the West. Judging by the level they showed when beating the Nuggets, they shouldn’t have only four wins. Many say the Warriors have wasted two winnable games.

In an 82-game season, losing two games can be either minor or significant. Losing two matches you should have won means you’ll have to fight hard for unexpected victories later, increasing the burden on your main roster and risking injuries.

Always remember, the basketball gods might punish you. Missing an easy free throw, making a fatal turnover, losing a game like today — the basketball gods may come after you.

History often repeats itself astonishingly; the mistakes you make today will eventually strike you right in the forehead in the future.