NBA Playoffs: Golden State Warriors’ Ambitions
By Luke Duffy
With the NBA playoffs almost among us, each of the 16 teams who will eventually make up the postseason will have dreams of going all the way and be crowned the NBA champions. Of course for some this is still merely a pipe dream, while for others it is the absolute end goal, with any other result deemed a failure. With that in mind we take a quick and lighthearted look at how each team can potentially do once the playoffs start.
Why They Can Win It All
This Golden State Warriors team is instant offense with the bombs away backcourt duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. More than that though, this year the powers that be finally made some moves to provide some depth to this roster so that it can compete with other teams in the Western Conference. The addition of Steve Blake in particular has helped take some of the load off of All-Star Curry (Just ask Kobe Bryant how important he thinks Blake is). Playing just more than 20 minutes a game, Blake gives this team a facilitator at the point guard position, as seen with his 3.3 assists per contest. It is still all about Curry though, as he leads this team in most important statistical categories, such as points per game (23.5), assists (8.5) and steals (1.6). His range knows no limits, and with center Andrew Bogut enjoying a healthy span in his career and Andre Iguodala still doing his thing, there is much to like about this outfit.
Further proof that the bench can be a factor for this team can be seen in the 27.2 points it gives to the cause on any given night. Center Jermaine O’Neal is also enjoying an enjoyable season, turning back the clock with some of his play around the rim. There are absolutely better reserve centers out there, but he has contributed in ways this team couldn’t have expected at the beginning of the year. Indeed, he is having his best rebounding year statistically (5.6) since the 2009-10 season, proof that he is putting in the work and doing some of the dirty things that are required for a team to be successful. Their gun-ho attitude and that little bit of toughness inside make them a more daunting proposition than some people realise.
Why They Might Exit Early
There is talent in this team no doubt, but perhaps the best way to describe this team is that they are light. The Warriors are no stranger to injuries, and while Curry’s ankles have held up well this year, they are but one wrong turn of the body away from betraying him once more. Iguodala and Andrew Bogut both missed some time as recently as March and O’Neal contemplated retirement after a hand injury earlier in the campaign. Forward David Lee, a former All-Star himself, has also missed time with a shoulder injury. On top of that, Festus Ezeli, a valued member of this team, required knee surgery earlier in the season and is still out of the team. While there is better depth at this club these days, injury to any one of these key men will surely result in a swift exit from the playoffs.
Turnovers could be a concern too once the games intensify when the playoffs begin. The Warriors turn the ball over 15.2 times a game. To put that into a little bit of perspective, the Minnesota Timberwolves (13.9) and Utah Jazz (14.6) turn the ball over less, and neither of them are even playoff bound. Taking care of the basketball is a must for this club, they can attack as well as anybody in the league, but coughing the ball up like this will lead to easy baskets for opponents. Scoring is all well and good, but you don’t want to have to try and outscore opponents in every game you play to stand a chance of winning. They say defense wins championships for a reason after all. The 7.6 steals this team makes is also average, good for fourteenth in the league in fact. Put simply this team needs to pull their socks up on the defensive end if they want to go far.
Potential X-Factor
Andre Iguodala. You might have forgotten this guy is a former All-Star, although he hasn’t really played like it in recent times. Yes the 9.2 points are the least per game since his rookie year (9.0), but the playoffs are just the time to bump those numbers up. Iggy is in a decent position because many have forgotten just how good he can be when he’s playing well. Couple that with the fact he is not this team’s go to player or even their second option, and it means he can spring a surprise on unsuspecting opponents by causing havoc out on the wings. Think of him as being able to have a similar impact to that of Lance Stephenson of the Indiana Pacers. Often overlooked, but easily able to go on a tear if needed. Yes it hasn’t been one of his better years statistically, but he’s this kind of player you’d rather have on your team than not have at all for what he is capable of doing. He is also a pretty tenacious defender, his 1.5 steals a game proof he is up for it on the defensive end.
How They’ll Do
Warriors fans won’t want to hear this, but they’re going to get bounced in the first round. The Los Angeles Clippers are too strong for this team with their all round game, and they seem the most likely opponents at this point. If the Clippers catch the Oklahoma City Thunder for second spot, then the Thunder too will have too much firepower for the lightweight defending of Golden State. Even if the Houston Rockets somehow end up playing the Warriors, their inside game and shooting touch of James Harden will again prove too much to overcome. It’s a shame, there is a lot to like about this team, and they have not yet reached their ceiling, but moves need to be made in order to contend with the very best in this league.