Big Changes Warriors Must Make to Compete for NBA Championship in the Playoffs
The Golden State Warriors don't really look like an NBA champion.
They've hovered around .500 all season, and one bad skid could send them plummeting into the play-in tournament or even missing out on it entirely.
And yet, they've earned some benefit of the doubt, haven't they? They are, after all, the defending champs, and they've won a boatload of playoff series since joining Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and coach Steve Kerr together.
With how wide open the Western Conference has been, why can't the Warriors defend their throne and repeat? Well, they can—provided they make the following three changes first.
Expand Jonathan Kuminga's Role
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Jonathan Kuminga ostensibly arrived as part of the team's two-timeline plan, but he contributed plenty to last season's championship run and could again be a significant factor for this team.
But he can only do so much in 20.2 minutes per night.
His explosive athleticism is the best on this roster, and despite being a 20-year-old who has yet to approach 150 career contests, he already has a good feel for how to use his physical gifts.
Kuminga's on-ball defense is already better than anyone on this team not named Andrew Wiggins or Gary Payton II, and he happens to be a near-double-digit scorer who shoots better than 50 percent from the field.
The Warriors can play him anywhere on the frontcourt and surround him with just about anyone: Veterans who can help hide his inexperience, young players who will race in the open court with him or any combination of the two.
Golden State should expand his role now and try to get through as many growing pains as possible before the postseason tips.
Limit Jordan Poole's Workload
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Catch Jordan Poole on the right night, and you'd think you were looking at an offensive focal point. Heck, squint while watching his highlight reel, and you might swear you've spotted a Curry clone.
There are NBA offenses that would improve right now by handing him the keys. This just obviously isn't one of them.
The 23-year-old is most effective with the ball in his hands, but he's not good enough to justify taking it away from Curry, Thompson or Green.
As a support player, his impact lessens but his limitations aren't any easier to hide. He brings next to nothing defensively, and his offensive output lacks efficiency: 42.8/32.9/87.0 shooting slash with just 1.4 assists per every turnover.
He doesn't need 30.7 minutes per night, and the Warriors probably know that already. In last season's NBA Finals, they only entrusted him with 20.8 per outing.
If they anticipate another major reduction coming, they could start trimming his minutes now and solidifying their rotation with more complementary players around their stars.
Get Back to Full Strength
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OK, so this isn't technically a change the Warriors can make, but it still speaks to an undeniable truth.
Golden State isn't winning a title without Andrew Wiggins, who's been out due to a personal matter for the last month. The Warriors could also have trouble fielding a championship-caliber defense without Gary Payton II, who's been unable to suit up since arriving at the deadline due to a core/right adductor injury.
The Warriors' margin for error doesn't allow for absences of this magnitude. Wiggins was their second-best player in last year's Finals. Payton might be their best on-ball defender and certainly their best defensive option against opposing point guards.
Get Golden State to full strength, and this squad might still be the best in the West. Keep the absences coming, though, and it doesn't quite measure up against the Association's top tier.
