Golden State Warriors' Most Startling Statistics of 2014-15 Season So Far
After a year that saw their offense disappoint in a big way, the Golden State Warriors entered this season looking to build an offense that could keep up with their dominant defense. The Warriors are nearly there based on a few key statistics, and they could get there even faster if a few other ones change.
While we knew that the Warriors would be better on offense, nobody expected them to potentially be the best in the NBA. The same can be said about a defense that has been as difficult to score on as any other.
If it sounds like it’s too good to be true, however, that’s because it is. For as great as the Warriors have been on both sides of the ball, they’ve run into a familiar problem that could keep them out of the league's elite if it’s not remedied.
Still, with players improving by the game and the team as a whole meshing a bit better, it’s very possible that the Warriors maintain some of these eye-opening statistics.
Field-Goal Percentages
It’s one thing to lead the NBA in either offensive or defensive field-goal percentage, but it's quite another to lead the league in both. Through 10 games this season, the Warriors are doing just that.
When it comes to shooting the ball, nobody does it better than the Warriors. They’re shooting just a shade under 50 percent from the field overall, 49.9 percent to be exact, and are tied for second in three-point percentage at 39.8. They’re even knocking down their free throws, tied for third in the league at 81 percent.
It’s no surprise that they rank second in the NBA in points per game at 108.6.
It’s not enough to simply be an elite offensive team, however, especially in the daunting Western Conference. The other side of the ball must never be ignored, and the Warriors excel on defense as well.
Forcing their opponents into tough shots has paid dividends thus far. The stingy Warrior defense has caused other teams to shoot just 41.4 percent from the field, good for first in the league, and just 29.5 percent from three-point land, which is third overall. They’re playing well on both sides of the ball.
Still, it’s not all roses for the Warriors. Despite leading the league in both percentage categories, they’re still only a middle-of-the-pack team when it comes to defensive points per game. The reason for that is another startling statistic.
Turnovers
Turnovers plagued the Warriors last season, and through the first ten games of the season, not much has changed. No team has been as sloppy with the ball as the Warriors, and their 19.7 turnovers per game are a testament to that.
In the Warriors’ first loss to the Phoenix Suns, they committed 26 turnovers in all. After dominating the first three quarters, they fell apart in the end with a slew of mishaps. Stephen Curry himself had ten turnovers. Those turnovers resulted in easy buckets for the Suns and the first loss of the season for the Warriors.
The very next game against the San Antonio Spurs exposed the Warriors even more. While Golden State was busy committing 19 turnovers, the Spurs preferred to hold on to the ball. With only eight turnovers for the game, the Spurs showed the Warriors the type of basketball it takes to win a championship.
For as well as the Warriors have been playing on both sides of the ball, the turnover issue is what will ultimately haunt them if they cannot get it under control.
We thought we knew what the Warriors had in Draymond Green. We knew he hustled, played good defense and could shoot the occasional three. Nobody knew he was going to be this good, though.
The injury to David Lee thrust Green into the starting lineup, and he has thrived all season. The stat sheet is riddled with his name.
He wasn’t much of a scorer last season, but he’s now third behind only Curry and Klay Thompson. He’s managed to be an efficient scorer as well, knocking down 42 percent of his three-point attempts and over 47 percent overall from the field.
When compared to his percentages from last season, where he was only putting up 6.2 points per game at just 33 percent from distance and 41 percent from the field, it’s a remarkable jump.
It’s not just the scoring, though. His rebounds and assists have gone up as well, now 7.2 and 2.8, respectively. He has improved in every facet of the game and is one of the biggest reasons the Warriors are currently sporting an 8-2 record.
With elite scorers like Curry and Thompson around him, it was necessary for the Warriors to find a player who could complement them and make defenses that double-team the stars pay. If his remarkable shooting holds true, the Warriors will have found that player in Green.
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics are courtesy of NBA.com and are accurate as of the end of play on Nov. 18, 2014.
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