What a difference a year makes. Before the start of last season every fan, critic and talk show pundit out there was backing Golden State Warriors to make it three NBA championships in a row. With Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green all looking hungrier than ever to add to their trophy cabinet, most people were calling the season a wrap before it had even begun.
Few could’ve imagined the Toronto Raptors pulling off one of the most unexpected upsets in recent memory, yet that’s exactly what happened following crucial injuries to KD and Klay during the all-important run-in. That shock seemed to spark even more activity during the offseason and free agency than we were initially expecting. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Anthony Davis, Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler and Russell Westbrook all manufactured trades to a new franchise, not to mention the monumental decision made by Durant to ditch Golden State in favor of joining forces with Kyrie Irving over in Brooklyn.
“Durant” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by GAMEFACE-PHOTOS
The league has been shaken up to such an extent that it’s almost unrecognizable from where we were just 12 months ago. A quick look at the latest NBA picks at Pickswise is enough to suggest that the Golden State dynasty isn’t expected to continue, yet a number of critics are going as far as to claim that they will actually struggle to make the playoffs this season. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three things that need to happen if the Warriors are to prove their doubters wrong.
Steph Curry and D’Angelo Russell need to hit it off
As we already know, the ACL injury sustained by Klay Thompson during Game Six of the Finals will see him miss the vast majority of the regular season. That’s a huge blow for Golden State’s shooting and defensive prowess no matter how you look at it; yet the addition of All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell may well prove to be a solid replacement for the time being.
The backcourt chemistry between Russell and Curry must develop fairly quickly if the Warriors are to put themselves in a strong position to make a playoff run by the time Klay returns in February.
“LeBron James vs. Steph Curry” (CC BY 2.0) by EDrost88
Defense, Defense, Defense
The loss of KD, Klay and long-term defensive stalwarts Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston puts a massive dent in the Warriors’ perimeter defense. If coach Steve Kerr doesn’t manage to come up with a solid solution to the issue quickly then we might see a fair few teams scoring heavily on Golden State as the season progresses.
Again, when looking at the latest NBA predictions, most tipsters agree that their lack of defensive options is ultimately a big reason why the Warriors aren’t being considered as title contenders this year.
Curry Needs Another MVP Caliber Season
Now that KD has left for Brooklyn and Klay is out for most of the season, the bulk of the Warriors’ scoring sits on the shoulders of Steph Curry. We know just how deadly the baby-faced assassin can be when his mind is solely set on shooting, yet with far less scoring support to call upon when the going gets tough, Curry will have to find his best form night in and night out.
As mentioned, there are a lot of variables that have to go in the Warriors’ direction and the easy thing to say is that “we’ll have to wait and see how the new-look Warriors will shape up over the first ten to fifteen games or so.”
That said, if we’re making bold predictions, we think the Warriors will struggle early on, but ultimately sneak into the Playoffs at the #7 seed. As Rudy_Tomjanovich famously said about his Houston Rockets team, “We had nonbelievers all along the way, and I have one thing to say to those nonbelievers: Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion!”
Whatever happens, it’s bound to be another fascinating chapter in the Warriors history.