Golden State Warriors: 7 Things Dubs Can Do to Survive Early Stages of Schedule

The Golden State Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 105-86 on Sunday night, and things won't be getting any easier from here on out. The Warriors are about to enter one of the toughest stretches of their schedule, so what can they do to withstand the next nine games of the season?

Here's a list of the Warriors' upcoming games: Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, @ Phoenix Suns, @ San Antonio Spurs, @ Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

After last night's performance, the Warriors could start the season off slowly if they continue to play like they did against the Clippers.

Here's seven things the Warriors can do to get by the first tough stretch of the season.

Learn to Close in the 4th Quarter

The Warriors remained competitive throughout the first three quarters against the Clippers on Sunday night.

The fourth quarter, however, was a completely different story.

The Warriors made their push in the third quarter and the game was still very much winnable. But at the end of the third, Chris Paul hit a jumper at the buzzer to give the Clippers a seven-point lead.

Then the Warriors defense broke down and no one could hit an open shot if their lives depended on it. They shot 35 percent from the field in the fourth quarter alone. Stephen Curry didn't help with his 1-for-7 shooting performance in the final quarter.

Monta Ellis only managed one shot the entire quarter. The Warriors won't win too many games if they shoot like that in the fourth quarter.

On the other hand, the Clippers made 55 percent of their shots in the final quarter alone. Chris Paul went 4-for-4 and all of his buckets hammered the nail in the coffin for the Warriors.

If it's not closing the game, the Warriors need to at least remain competitive during the fourth quarter if they want to win some of these upcoming games. The last 12 minutes in a basketball game are the most crucial, and it's not a time to play your worst.

Continue to Build on Latest Defensive Performance

You could notice a difference in the way the Warriors played defense against the Clippers.

They did look like a team just starting to play defense for the first time in years, but it was the effort that was noticeable. They had good help defense throughout the game and they weren't scored on in the paint like they have been in the past.

Blake Griffin had his hook working all night, but that's a tough matchup for David Lee any way you look at it.

This team did show that they are capable of playing stout defense. It was certainly an encouraging sight for Warriors fans. The Warriors even outrebounded the Clippers, 48-43. And no, that was not a typo.

Nonetheless, the Clippers scored 105 points and shot over 55 percent from the field. There is certainly room for improvement.

Win the Winnable Games

Six out of the nine upcoming games are going to be played in Golden State. Last season the Warriors were 26-15 while playing in front of their loyal fan base in Oracle Arena.

Their success at home needs to continue this year if the Warriors want to get by the early stages of their schedule. It may be tough, however, since the Bulls, Knicks, Heat and Magic will all be coming to Oracle Arena during this stretch.

Either way, any game that the Warriors play at home is a winnable game. They should beat the 76ers and the Jazz at home, so beating two out of the other four teams would make for a successful home stand.

Continue to Get David Lee Involved

David Lee was the best player for the Warriors on Sunday night against the Clippers.

He was 10-of-19 from the field with 22 points and 12 rebounds. His jump shot wasn't in tip-top shape yet, but that didn't stop him from dropping over 20 points.

He had a little help from Ellis, who drove and dished it off to Lee for the wide-open dunk. However, Lee was able to create his own shot with his back to the rim on multiple possessions. That was something that he was not able to do well last season, despite his numerous attempts to improve.

No, Blake Griffin isn't the best defender in the NBA. Eight or so of his points were handed to him on a silver platter, but Lee did show signs of improvement offensively and it's something that should be noted.

He likely won't be able to score in the paint on a regular basis, because that just isn't Lee's game. He is, however, turning into a serviceable third option for the Warriors.

Don't Deviate from Uptempo Offense

The Warriors are not a half-court offense. They haven't been for the last six years and are not constructed to be one at the moment either.

Yes, Mark Jackson is trying to change the culture of this team, but it isn't something that can be done overnight. Changing the way the Warriors play offense is one thing, but making the Warriors slow down on offense is uprooting the only thing this team knows how to do well.

The defensive mindset needed to change on this team; there is no getting around that. But this offense knows how to be productive and dangerous when on the move. Slowing it down and playing in a half-court set gives you a performance like last night: 39 percent from the field.

It's possible for the Warriors to play better defense and continue to play offense the way they have for the past six years. The way the Warriors play offense and defense don't necessarily have to change at the same time.

Continue to Ride the Wave

The Warriors are in a peculiar situation.

Mark Jackson is trying to instill a completely new culture, but only had around 10 days before the season started. He can thank the NBA lockout for that. The Warriors also have practically the same roster from last season, and they are all trying to adjust to the new style of play as well.

Jackson is trying to teach a team to slow down when they are accustomed to playing at a high tempo. He is trying to teach a team how to play defense when they haven't been asked to do so for over six years.

Jackson is trying to make some drastic changes in a short period of time, so seeing the Warriors struggle in the early stages of the season is to be expected.

Change takes time, especially change as drastic as this. Give the team some time to adjust and become comfortable in the new system before you write them off this year.

Change was needed in order for this team to be successful. There was no way the Warriors could win with the uptempo style of play they used.

This time period is just the baby steps to becoming a team that can play defense and compete for a playoff spot in the future.

Continue to Make Ellis and Curry Be the Focal Points on Offense

It was probably the most talked about aspect of the game from the Warriors perspective. Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, the two centerpieces of the Warriors franchise, were a combined 8-for-31 from the field. They were also 0-for-9 from behind the arc, which is very uncharacteristic of them.

Before you start calling for their heads and wishing the Warriors traded Curry for Chris Paul, take a step back and look at the larger picture.

Curry was playing on a sprained ankle and likely only played for PR reasons (it was a nationally televised game on ESPN). Both of the guards were playing in a half-court offense which they aren't really accustomed to doing.

Lastly, it was the first game of the season. It takes a while for players to get in a rhythm offensively, especially finding the touch on the jump shot. 

This team is going to live and die by the play of Curry and Ellis. They are one of the youngest and exciting backcourts in the NBA, so that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Let them grow in this new style of offense and things will be fine.

Performances like this are few and far between for the Warriors backcourt. Plus, it's rare that both of them are off on the same night.