From Playoff Hopefuls to Title Contenders
By Greg Chin
Dec 13, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12) celebrates with power forward
Marreese Speights(5) and small forward Harrison Barnes (40) after a play against the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Houston Rockets defeated the Golden State Warriors 116-112. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
2012-13: The Change-Up
Armed with a new-look roster, coach Mark Jackson was handed the best Golden State Warriors’ squad in years. The team’s 7-6 start was better than what the fans were accustomed to, so when they went on a 14-4 run to close out 2012, the outlook on the Warriors’ franchise was bright.
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Everything was working well: David Lee was playing at an All-Star level, Stephen Curry was coming into his own as a point guard in the NBA, Klay Thompson was developing nicely as a complement to Curry, Andrew Bogut brought the Warriors’ some much sorely needed rim protection and defense, and Harrison Barnes was an exciting prospect.
But the biggest surprise was on the defensive end. Jackson helped transformed one of the league’s worst defenses into much-improved outfit. Their 105.5 defensive rating was the best mark since 2003, and helped solidify their status as one of the up-and-coming teams.
The regular season culminated in the Warriors securing a playoff berth against the Denver Nuggets in the first round. They upset the third-seeded Nuggets, and even won a game away at Denver, who had only lost three home games in the regular season. Barnes had a breakout series, and emerged as a small-ball power forward option after David Lee was injured.
The Warriors crashed out against the San Antonio Spurs the next round, but not before giving them a scare and winning two games in the series. And for the first time in what seemed like forever, the Warriors were back.
Next: Building on Success