Are the Golden State Warriors the team to beat?
The Golden State Warriors were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round of the NBA playoffs last season. Afterwards, head coach Mark Jackson was relieved of his duties and Steve Kerr was hired, ushering in a new era. Kerr’s appointment has proven to be a terrific move by Golden State, with the rookie coach leading the Warriors to a league-best 21-2 mark.
Still, the season is barely more than a quarter over. Is Golden State, which is in the midst of a 16-game winning streak, truly the best team in the Western Conference or merely off to a blazing beginning?
Currently, Vegas has the Warriors at 5/1 to win the NBA Finals, the third-best odds behind the Cleveland Cavaliers (3/1) and San Antonio Spurs (4/1). Coming into the season most experts considered Golden State a fringe contender with the Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers the clear favorites. However, the Warriors are making their case bolstered by a prolific backcourt and a surprisingly solid defense which ranks seventh in points allowed per game (96.8).
Golden State is led by Stephen Curry, who is currently the best shooting guard on Earth. Curry is averaging 23.7 points, 7.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game, all team-bests. Klay Thompson is also pouring in 21.7 points per game, giving the Warriors a dynamic punch and creating mismatches for teams hoping to double Curry. Golden State is doing all of this without forward David Lee, who is recovering from a hamstring injury. Once Lee returns, the Warriors are deeper and even more potent offensively.
All that said, is Golden State better than the Spurs and Clippers? When the postseason arrives, can the Warriors take down the likes of Tim Duncan and Chris Paul?
With Los Angeles, it seems Golden State would be a tough matchup. Paul would be able to get inside and Blake Griffin will undoubtedly get his, but how do the Clippers contain Curry and Thompson, along Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut and a healthy Lee coming off the bench? When the two teams met on Nov. 5, the Warriors hung 121 points on Los Angeles in a 17-point win. That night, Curry and Green combined for 52 points while Bogut pulled down 14 rebounds in 34 minutes.
The Clippers have been mediocre defensively, ranking 18th in points allowed/game and even worse on the glass, checking in 28th in rebounding. Against the Warriors, both will become massive issues. The one clear advantage for Los Angeles would be at coach with the experience of Doc Rivers over the youthfulness of Kerr.
San Antonio is a different story. The Spurs have been there and done that, winning five NBA titles during the Gregg Popovich era. Despite only being 17-7 and third in the Southwest Division, San Antonio is a lurking defending champion with both depth and a wealth of experience. When they played the Warriors on Nov. 11, the Spurs dealt Golden State a home defeat, 113-100. San Antonio is a great defensive team and Popovich is the ultimate chess player. Toppling the Spurs is still the biggest challenge in the West, even if Golden State could secure home-court advantage.
Over the next 50+ games, plenty is going to change. If the Warriors can keep winning, the NBA playoffs become that much more interesting with an up-and-coming young group by the Bay looking to take the league by surprise.
