Realistic Expectations for Golden State Warriors' 2017-18 Starting Lineup

Zach BuckleyAug 7, 2017

In October, the Golden State Warriors were integrating two new players into their starting lineup. By February, the opening group featured the NBA's only All-Star quartet. And in June, they were leading the organization's drive to a second world title in three years.

Suffice it to say, the revamped unit's debut was a resounding success. The sequel might be even sweeter.

Despite seeing three starters enter free agency, Golden State spent large enough to keep them all in the fold. In fact, the Dubs found enough dollars to retain all key members of their rotation and better support them with an upgraded bench.

It all makes you wonder if the best is still to come, which feels like an impossible premise given the club's remarkable 207-39 record over the last three seasons. But there are several realistic reasons to believe this starting five will continue guiding this team to new heights.

Internal Improvement Through Continuity

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Rocky Widner/Getty Images

Long before Bob Myers grabbed his front-office seat, he suited up for the UCLA Bruins. After college, he rose to prominence as a player agent before switching sides of the negotiating table.

In other words, he sees the game clearly from a player's perspective. And that has helped shape his views on the benefits of keeping a core intact.

"If you've played basketball, you know there is a hard-to-quantity element of continuity," Myers told Zach Lowe, then with Grantland, in 2014. "Playing together with the same group of people for a long time makes you better. It just does."

That may explain why the Warriors signed off on all their offseason investments despite being "way over" budget, as Myers told the Warriors Plus/Minus podcast with Marcus Thompson and Tim Kawakami. As scary as the thought sounds, this season's starting group could be even stronger than last season's.

They're returning all five members of a unit that thrashed opponents by 23.1 points per 100 possessions—29.7 points per 100 after the calendar changed. There is better chemistry on and off the court now, making players more comfortable and therefore more effective in their roles.

Add in the confidence that comes from successfully leading a championship charge together, and this group could redefine what it means to be an NBA world-beater.

More Explosiveness, Efficiency on Offense

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Tony Dejak/Associated Press

Last season's starting five had the Association's only 20-point-scoring trio. And its second-best distributor standing 6'7" or taller. And one of its most effective screen-setters. All of which contributed to an offensive efficiency matched only by the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers.

And still, this season's version should be even better.

There are different reasons to believe that, but none greater than the continued blending of Stephen Curry's and Kevin Durant's MVP talents. They tag-teamed with another to start the 2016-17 campaign, and it wasn't hard to notice Curry looked his best when Durant was sidelined by an ACL sprain.

But once KD was back, the two learned to lead together. Each increased his scoring average during the postseason, collectively increasing their nightly output by 6.2 points per game (from 50.4 to 56.6). Their shooting percentages simultaneously spiked (from the field and from three), while their already absurd 120.0 offensive rating became a preposterous 124.8.

All told, they only played 75 games together. So, despite the ridiculous production, it's fair to think their shared ceiling is far from set.

"I still think we're always growing and getting better," Durant said in June, per USA Today's Jarrett Bell. "We're not where we want to be. We've got to keep pressing and getting better."

That alone is reason to buy stock in this offense. But there's also the fact Klay Thompson has never averaged fewer points than the previous season; there's significant bounce-back potential in Draymond Green's shooting rates (41.8 from the field and 30.8 outside last season; 49.0 and 38.8, respectively, the year prior); and the fact Zaza Pachulia increased both his scoring average and field-goal percentage after the All-Star break.

No. 1 Defense or Bust

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Evan Agostini/Associated Press

Before Steve Kerr steered the Dubs to historic levels of offensive efficiency, his predecessor, Mark Jackson, elicited a championship-level commitment to defense.

It not only survived the coaching change, but it has thrived under the new regime as well.

"This team was built on a defensive foundation under former coach Mark Jackson, and that foundation hasn't cracked one bit," NBA.com's John Schuhmann wrote. "After ranking third defensively in Jackson's final season, the Warriors have ranked first, fourth and second in their three campaigns under Kerr."

Complacency might be the biggest barricade between Golden State and the top defensive ranking. Talent obviously isn't the issue.

After back-to-back silver medal efforts, Green finally captured the elusive Defensive Player of the Year award. The 6'7" quarterback gives this group a stopper for any situation. He has the foot speed to stay in front of guards and the hand speed to pace the league in steals (2.0 per game last season). He's also powerful in the post and an elite eraser at the rim.

Durant has never provided more defensive value, using his freakish length and mobility to blanket opponents. Thompson embraces—and often aces—the toughest backcourt assignment, which serves both to hide Curry and allow him to gamble in passing lanes. And Pachulia, while not the fleetest of foot, gives Golden State an interior enforcer and active glass-cleaner.

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Still Without a Rival

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With the Warriors riding an unprecedented wave of success, their would-be challengers have embarked on a weapons race around them.

James Harden and Chris Paul joined All-Star forces in Houston. Oklahoma City seized the opportunity to pair Russell Westbrook with Paul George. The Boston Celtics, reigning regular-season champs out East, added another All-Star to the equation in Gordon Hayward.

And Golden State did...basically nothing, save for a few second-team tweaks. But the inactivity wasn't the sign of smugness; rather, it was the reflection of this group's standing as the hoops world's current king of the hill.

"The Warriors aren't scared in the slightest by what the rest of the league has done this summer," Rohan Nadkarni of Sports Illustrated wrote. "The Warriors have their feet up on the table and cigars in their mouths while the rest of the NBA tries to figure out how to slow them down."

Other teams are improving—and still not really closing the gap. The Warriors' starpower remains overwhelming even in the new-look West, and their Finals combatant from the last three seasons has been issued a trade request from its second-best player, per ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst.

Golden State's starting five might not be its strongest lineup, but it's still the NBA's premier opening group. And nothing looks likely to change that in 2017-18. There are no major health concerns with this quintet, and each player has already settled into his ideal role.