Golden State Warriors: Who Is Their Most Valuable Unsung Hero?

Is Klay Thompson more valuable to the Golden State Warriors than Jarrett Jack? Photo Credit: Nikk La, Flickr.com

The Golden State Warriors have been one of the more surprising teams in the NBA this year. They’re two wins away from clinching a playoff spot. How many pundits could say they predicted that back in October? Not many. Heck, only the most steadfast fans could predict a playoff berth for an inexperienced Warriors team.

But here we are in April. If the playoffs started today, the Warriors would claim the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Since the season is not quite over, though, the Houston Rockets still have a short window of opportunity to pass the Warriors in the standings.

So, who has stepped up on the Warriors?

Often times fans gets lost in the stars, never even taking a look at the unsung heroes whom complete a winning team. Let’s apply this to the Warriors roster.

Stephen Curry or David Lee are not considered to be unsung heroes–a far cry away, actually. Think outside of the box. Think more like Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes or Jarrett Jack. Curry and Lee will get their points and they will carry the Warriors nightly, but that’s expected of them.

The unsung heroes, meanwhile, don’t garner as much spotlight.

So, of the three–Thompson, Barnes and Jack—who is more valuable to the Warriors?

It’s certainly a hard question. All three bring something unique to the table. Thompson provides excellent 3-point shooting and is very good at coming off screens in the mid-range. Barnes is one of the Warriors’ few penetrators, but he struggles to consistently knock down easy shots. Jack practically oversees the team as a veteran.

Most would this question answer with Thompson, for a couple reasons. One, he plays a heavier dosage of minutes than Barnes and Jack.

Then, there’s the spilt that most mavens would turn you to: He averages 17.9 points when the Warriors win, but only 13.9 when they lose. That is an interesting spilt, yes. In a nutshell, it evidences Thompson’s impact in the win or loss column, and additionally, Golden State averages nearly six more points per 48 minutes when he is on the court.

Defensively, Thompson has taken on the role of guarding the other team’s best guard. Most wouldn’t regard him as an elite defender, which he isn’t. But he’s surely an improving one.

So, Thompson’s bid for most important role player is looking good.

As for Barnes, well, nothing changes dramatically when he’s on the court, or when he’s not.

Despite the fact that he’s one of the Warriors’ best slashers, the team offensive and defensive ratings remain the same when he’s on the floor and when he’s on the bench.

And while Barnes’ slashing abilities are a breath of fresh air on a shooting-happy Warriors squad, he’s not the best finisher in the world. Teams will also strip his driving game by forcing him to shoot.

Of course, Barnes isn’t in a situation where he can demand the ball. At best, he’s their fourth scoring option. So really, he can’t greatly sway the Warriors numbers, regardless of whether he’s on the floor or not.

Lastly, Jack. I’ll warn you up front: His case is pretty good.

Unlike Thompson and Barnes, Jack is a primary ball-handler when he’s on the floor. This allows Curry to step off the ball and play his more natural position–shooting guard. Ideally, the Warriors would prefer Jack to handle the ball more than Curry because he’s the better point guard of the two. He can control the tempo of a game and turns the ball over less. But Curry’s size prevents this formation from being a permanent thing.

The Warriors net rating with Jack on the floor is plus-2.5. There are a couple of other factors to consider. For one, the Warriors’ shooting percentage soars when Jack is on the floor. His ability to drive and kick fuels those stats upward.

Another little tidbit to look at is the pace factor: When Jack isn’t on the floor, the Warriors pace factor is 97.2. When he’s on the floor, it’s 96.2.

So yes, Golden State plays at a slightly slower pace with Jack on the floor. More is better, right? Not in this case. The Warriors slightly slower pace is actually a good thing because it indicates that Jack keeps the Warriors composure intact. This is especially important in close games and, of course, the playoffs.

By now, I hope you have read between the lines. Jack is the Warriors most valuable player outside of Curry and Lee. For the short-term, the Warriors can bask in this. Jack would be a starter on most other teams. That’s the glaring reality, though.

Once the clock strikes free agency this summer, there’s a good chance that Jack leaves Oakland for a team that will offer him starter’s money and a starting job.

Until then, Jarrett Jack will continue to give the Warriors plenty of value off the bench.