The Golden State Warriors seem to have stabilized the rocking boat and are back to their winning ways. Can they carry this into the post-season?
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After two long seasons of being away from the playoffs, the Golden State Warriors are back on track to go back where they belong. 54 games into the season, the Warriors boast a record of 41-13. At the start of the season, a lot of people had capped the Warriors’ wins to be somewhere in the mid-40s. However, it’s more than likely that the Dubs would touch that number even before the All-Star break.
After a splendid 27-6 start to the season, the Dubs hit a rough patch around the last few days of 2021. They went 5-7 in their next 12 games, over the span of 23 days. However, the Warriors seemed to have found their footing again, with them currently being on a 9-game win streak.
Despite Draymond Green being out for a month already, the Dubs have managed to hold on to the top defensive rating in the league. They lead the league with a defensive rating of 103.4. They’re also the league leaders in Net Rating, with a rating of 8.3.
The Warriors and their Strengths
From all the way back in 2014, the Warriors have always embodied ‘Strength in Numbers’. The phrase lost its way over the last two seasons, but it’s back. The Dubs are back to playing their brand of team basketball. In the previous season, the entire offense was centered around Stephen Curry. However, this year, things are back to what we were used to.
Before Stephen Curry hit his slump, it was him running the offense, and the others complimenting him. However, since that happened, others have stepped up, and everyone who plays adds value to the team. Andrew Wiggins has come to his own this season. He’s been playing excellent two-way ball, and it was rewarded with his first-ever All-Star selection. Jordan Poole has been a revelation. After showing us flashes of what he can do last season, Poole has really stepped up and become a consistent performer for the team.
One of the problems that the Warriors have always had in the past has been rebounding. However, this year, the Dubs are #4 in the league in rebounding. Everyone on the team, including Steph, has been making a conscious effort to grab the boards. Kevon Looney has been excellent since Draymond Green has been injured, and has given the team a huge boost. The Dubs are averaging around 10 offensive rebounds a game, which has been making a lot of difference.
Stephen Curry seems to have broken out of his slump and has been shooting 47% from the deep(24-51) over his last five games. With the season approaching its business end, now is the perfect time for the Chef to put up a run like he did last April.
On top of all of that, Klay Thompson is coming into his own. He’s been averaging 19.4 points over the last 5 games he’s played, and that is with him being on a minutes restriction.
Weaknesses that may stump the Dubs
One of the biggest concerns regarding the Warriors, which never seems to go away, is the turnovers. Granted that the Warriors have the second-highest assists in the league and move the ball around a lot, but they also average the second-highest turnovers in the league.
Another thing that the Warriors keep forgetting is that they have more than one way to score. On nights where the entire team is unable to hit from the distance, they keep attempting long-range shots, instead of driving inside the paint and creating opportunities.
One last thing that might stump the Dubs is Draymond Green’s injury. Green has been out for a month, with an injury related to his back. Any injury related to the back cannot be taken lightly. He is set to be re-evaluated in a week. The best the Dubs can hope for is for him to return in the first week of March. Green would miss the All-Star game being held in Cleveland on the 20th. On the other hand, James Wiseman is back with the team, and is participating in non-contact drills. The timeline for his return is still not clear, and even when he returns, we don’t know if Kerr would get him into the rotation, especially with playoffs right around the corner.
Do the Warriors need to make any moves at the trade deadline?
With James Wiseman out, Kevon Looney is the only bonafide center on the Dubs’ roster currently. The Warriors are making do with small big men like Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter Jr standing in as centers. There were people who want the Warriors to trade for another big, but the Dubs don’t think they need to.
As Klay Thompson said, all they need at the trade deadline is a new ‘washing machine’.
Potential Playoff matchup
The Warriors sit on the 2nd spot in the Western Conference. They are 2.5 games behind the #1 seeded Suns and are 5.5 games ahead of the #3 seeded Grizzlies. With the rest of the season looking easier than the Suns have it, it is highly possible that the Dubs might catch up for the top seed. However, the most likely outcome is one of the top two seeds only.
By being in the top two spots, the Warriors are most likely to face either the Clippers, the Lakers, or the Timberwolves. The Warriors can outlast the Clippers in a 7-game series, with reports of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George not returning this season. The Wolves might bother the Dubs with their size but wouldn’t last against the Dubs in a 7-game series.
The Lakers are the dark horses. On the one hand, the Warriors would bother them immensely, but a healthy LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and if Russell Westbrook can summon his past forms, might make for an interesting series.
