Is the Best Yet to Come for the Golden State Warriors?
Boasting the best record in the NBA at 30-5, the Golden State Warriors are firing on nearly all cylinders and have established themselves as the class of the league. As remarkable as they have been thus far, however, it’s not crazy to think that the Warriors are merely scratching the surface of their potential.
For Golden State, the road to the best record has been even more impressive then the mark itself. Littered with nagging injuries, questionable scheduling and all the perils the Western Conference brings, the Warriors have breezed through it all, dominating the competition at a level no other team can claim.
Winning their games by an average of 11 points, the Warriors’ offense has finally caught up to their defense. The result has been the most well-rounded team in the association.
Having already skyrocketed to the top, the question now becomes, where do the Dubs go from here? Have we seen the best of the Warriors already, or can they continue to improve on a nightly basis?
They Are Finally Healthy
The most impressive part of their scorching start is that they were winning games with a limited roster. David Lee missed the majority of the early season, and Andrew Bogut just recently returned after missing 12 games with a right knee injury. Those are two major components of their team.
We are only now seeing what the roster can truly be. The Warriors’ depth is scary, boasting a second unit that can rival half the starting fives in the NBA. Lee has gradually improved by the game, showing flashes of the skills that have made him one of the elite double-double big men in the game.
Bogut’s importance is unquestioned, the leader of the stifling Golden State defense. Seeing them in action together has been rare, however, as injuries have kept them constantly sidelined for the last few years.
That is no more.
With Lee leading the second unit and Bogut defending the paint, there is no question that the Warriors can be even better.
Age is Not Just a Number
In professional sports, the greatest asset an athlete possesses is his age. Father Time catches up with all, and eventually the wear and tear of an NBA career begins to take its toll. The Warriors are one of the rare contending teams that are still winning their battle with the unquestioned champion.
The nucleus of the Dubs’ roster is flush with young talent. Among Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli, Curry is the elder statesman at just 26 years old.
They haven’t even reached their primes yet.
This is a roster that is almost perfectly assembled, pairing grizzled veterans like Bogut and Andre Iguodala with youthful, hungry upstarts. Every game is a new lesson for these young stars and they appear to absorbing it all like a sponge.
This is a team that will continue to improve, as it would be silly to think that there is anything other then an upward projection.
They’ve Proven They Can Handle the Western Conference
It’s no secret that the Western Conference severely puts the East to shame. The Warriors have proven that thus far by convincingly handling all Eastern challengers, going 12-0.
They haven’t been too shabby against the West either, though, as they sport the best record in the league at 18-5. They’ve taken down the Houston Rockets, done away with the Portland Trail Blazers and shown their might against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While it hasn’t all been roses, stumbling against the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers, the Warriors have shown that they can hang with anyone. Most importantly, however, they’ve shown that at home, they’re nearly unbeatable, going 16-1.
That is where the importance of winning the Western Conference will come into play. In front of their deafening crowd, the Warriors can neutralize the disadvantage that playoff experience brings. Any team that saunters into Oracle Arena will be a worthy adversary, but Golden State has proven to be more than worthy themselves.
To expect a team that has started 30-5 to get even better is hard to believe, but the Warriors have all the pieces in place to do just that. With newfound health and a stable of young talent, the Dubs look poised to continue their dominance of the dangerous Western Conference.
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