Golden State Warriors' Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses

No matter how many times you have to check the NBA standings, the Golden State Warriors do in fact have the "x" by their name and have clinched a playoff berth.

Now that they have officially made it, what should you expect from them once the playoffs start?

Currently sitting sixth in the Western Conference standings, the Warriors do possess advantages over teams in the West—that's why they are a playoff team—but they also have flaws they need to overcome if they are thinking of winning any games or potentially a series.

Here is a look at Golden State's strengths and weaknesses as the Warriors gear up for postseason play.

Strength: Rebounding

Last season, the Warriors averaged 39.2 rebounds per game, which was good for third-worst in the NBA.

This season, the Warriors are averaging 44.8 boards per game, which ranks them in tie for second-best in the NBA.

That's with Bogut having played in just 31 games.

David Lee has been nothing short of tremendous in the rebounding department, and the entire team's commitment on the defensive side of the ball has shown up on the glass.

Amazing how being in the right position on defense leads to more rebounds, right?

Not allowing easy putbacks and attacking the offensive glass are going to be key on every possession. Golden State can head into the playoffs knowing that its rebounding rate will not keep the team from winning.

Strength: Scoring/Shooting

The plausible reason as to why the Warriors might be able to pull off a first-round upset is their ability to score the basketball.

They have the type of team that can simply go "March Madness" on any opponent and pull off an upset should they simply get hot.

The Warriors currently rank No. 9 in the NBA in points scored per game at 101.0. Even better, they rank No. 1 in three-point percentage at 40.2, and rank 11th in field-goal percentage at 45.7.

No matter how far down they get or how tough of an opponent they face, their offense will keep them in any game.

Strength: Free-Throw Percentage

Did you know the Warriors own the fourth-best free-throw percentage in the entire NBA?

Imagine what they could do if their free-throw discrepancy wasn't 16 attempts to the opponent's 50 in a two-point game.

Playoff games tend get more physical, and if more fouls are to be called, that will work in the Warriors' favor.

Golden State needs to realize the change of play and get even more aggressive. The Warriors must attack the rim and hope they get to the line.

Not only will they be taking the freebie shots that they can make, they are potentially sending one of their opponent's better players to the bench with foul trouble.

Weakness: Health

Here we go again.

Just when things were trending upward and Bogut was getting into shape and playing well, he goes down one more time.

At least the Warriors clinched their playoff berth before he injured his left ankle.

Golden State is a good team without Bogut, but to actually win a playoff series, its starting center is going to have to be on the floor.

The last thing anyone associated with the Warriors wants to happen is the "what if" scenario concerning Bogut's health—or anyone else for that matter.

Weakness: Experience

36 games.

That's the combined number of playoff appearances by members of the Warriors' rotation.

That number dwindles down to 11 if you want to count games started in the postseason.

The lack of experience will likely pose a problem. Playoff games tend to slow down and get more physical, making each possession that more valuable. This is all going to be a new experience for this roster and especially for their head coach.

This is Mark Jackson's first full season of head coaching. He is going to have nothing to fall back on other than his playing experience.

Who are the Warriors going to look to get them through any postseason problems?

It's going to be new for almost everyone.

Weakness: Turnover Prone

Speaking of possessions becoming more valuable, the Warriors tend to give up too many freebies. They average 14.7 turnovers per game.

Ball protection is going to be crucial in this postseason play, so teams must adjust accordingly. Last season's defending champion Miami Heat are a perfect example.

In the regular season they averaged 14.7 turnovers per game, and in the playoffs they trimmed that down to 12.3.

Imagine how much better Golden State would be if two of its turnovers were three-point attempts instead?

Little things like that are magnified in the playoffs, and they could end up being the difference between the Warriors playing in the second round or not.

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