Golden State Warriors: Playoff Hopefuls or Time to Blow Up the Roster?
If the NBA were a game of Texas Hold 'Em, right now coach Keith Smart's Golden State Warriors might be a gutshot straight draw. There are definitely possibilities here, but Smart and Co. will need some help in order to reach the postseason for the first time since 2007.
General manager Larry Riley—at the behest of new co-owner Joe Lacob—has been relentlessly working the phones searching for an impact player to push this team to heights too often unseen by this franchise. But the destiny of this franchise lies in their ability to hear the words of the gambler Kenny Rogers: Know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em.
And for right now, Riley should do everything in his power to hold 'em.
The Warriors have had their share of ups and downs this season, but they possess some of the most important characteristics of a playoff-caliber NBA team.
For starters, they have the floor general capable of putting himself and his teammates in the best position to score in Stephen Curry.
Despite rampant message board grumblings of a sophomore slump, Curry has grown from last season. Surrounded by a far superior supporting cast—let's not forget the injury woes that left Curry as the main (err...only) option down the stretch last season—Curry has continued to find ways to do what he does best: put the ball in the basket. With two of his five 30-plus point outings this season coming in two of the last three games, there's no reason to think that he can't get back to his post-All-Star Game form of last season.
This team also possesses the players around Curry to give him viable options to share the wealth. Monta Ellis (25.8 ppg, fourth best in the league) has shown that he's one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA. But it's players like newcomers Dorell Wright (16.5 ppg) and David Lee (16.2 ppg) that have forced defenses to respect more than just the talented backcourt.
And speaking of Lee, his elbow appears finally healed and his offensive numbers show it. He's topped the 20-point mark in four of his last five games, including a season-high 31 points in the Warriors' loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Lee has been able to get the necessary extension on his mid-range jumper, a shot that opens up the floor for the team's slashers and outside shooters.
With these newly created driving lanes and perimeter looks, the team has responded with a league-high 109.8 ppg over their last 10 games played, a stretch that featured a four-game winning streak (the team's first since 2008).
Golden State has never been a team to shy away from the perimeter game, but this year's squad has finally captured the ability to shoot the deep ball efficiently. This unit shoots the long ball better than any team in the league (39.9 percent), and it's that ability that has often compensated for the lack of a true post presence on offense.
Living and dying by the three makes for some exciting—albeit frustrating at times—basketball, but the team's ability to score points quickly allows them to compete with the NBA's elite. And they'll need those shots to keep falling on this eight-game home stand that will see the likes of the New Orleans Hornets, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets coming to the Bay Area over the next few weeks.
The Warriors have one of the NBA's toughest schedules between now and the February 24 trade deadline (eight of their 12 games are against teams over .500), so Riley should have the benefit of knowing whether to buy or sell by that point.
As buyers, the team may have a hard time finding an elite player available (although Lacob admitted to at least entertaining the thought of bringing in Carmelo Anthony recently), but there should be some nice additions available to bolster the club's second unit. Any team hoping to do damage in the playoffs needs a strong reserve unit to spell their starters after the grueling 82-game schedule.
Smart and his players will face an uphill battle in their quest to leapfrog four teams (the team sits five games back of the eighth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers) and claim the Western Conference's eighth playoff spot, but they just might have the tools for the job.
After all, those gutshot straight draws are always interesting through the river.
And if the river doesn't fall his team's way, Riley will know it's time to fold 'em.
