Why The Golden State Warriors Are Legitimate NBA Title Contenders
By Sam Richmond
Entering the season, few viewed the Golden State Warriors as championship threats.
The Warriors were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season and didn’t make any any major offseason roster upgrades.
However, 14 games into the season, it’s time to re-evaluate the Warriors. They now need to be looked at as one of the half-dozen or so teams that has a shot at a title.
The Warriors have jumped out to a 12-2 start. But it’s not just their win total that’s impressive, it’s how they’ve gotten there that makes them contenders.
Perhaps the most common trait of NBA champions throughout league history is strong defense. In the past 15 years, only one NBA champion (2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers) had a defense that ranked outside the top-10 in points allowed per possession.
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Golden State might often be perceived as an offense-first team, but make no mistake: the Warriors can defend.
Steve Kerr‘s squad allows just .977 points per possession, which ranks second in the league, according to Basketball Reference.
The Warriors have one of the NBA’s very best rim protectors in Andrew Bogut and have a number of lengthy defenders (Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green, Shaun Livingston, etc.) to compliment him. Even players not known for their defense such as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are playing with more tenacity on that side of the ball, helping Golden State to defend at the level they are.
Still, Bogut is the lynchpin of the Warriors’ defense. Few can block shots and alter an offense’s gameplan like he can. As long as he’s healthy, Golden State is going to have a top defense, making them a team no one will want to face in the playoffs.
Also something that makes the Warriors a team to fear: their nearly-as-dominant offense. Golden State ranks ninth in the NBA with 1.084 points scored per possession.
As everyone knows, this team can shoot the lights out. The Warriors are the league’s fourth most efficient three-point shooting team from beyond the arc (38.5 percent)
However, the three-point line isn’t the only place that the Warriors are beating foes from. Golden State is shooting an impressive 67.0 percent on shots from within five feet of the basket and 47.2 percent on shots from 15-19 feet away from the hoop, according to NBA.com.
The Warriors’ 54.0 percent conversion rate on two-point baskets ranks second in the league. This team can dominate from anywhere on the court, a scary truth for opponents.
The leader of this offense is no doubt Curry, who might just be the best point guard in the league these days. He’s averaging 23.9 points (42.6 3P%) and 7.7 assists per game.
Klay Thompson has also shown growth as more of a complete offensive talent. Many (including myself) thought it was absurd that the Warriors refused to trade Thompson for Kevin Love this past offseason. However, Thompson is making all of us look bad. He’s averaging 22.5 points on 45.9 percent shooting from the field and 43.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
With those two guys leading the way and surrounded by a number of effective offensive role players (Green, Barnes, Bogut, etc), this team has the stars and depth to pour it on any team in the league.
Simply put, the Warriors are a complete team. They might not have a lot of playoff experience, but they have a ton of talent execute staggeringly well on both sides of the ball.
Don’t be stunned if this team is hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy come next June.
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