1. The Warriors are nowhere near where they can be
Golden State went a perfect 4-0 on the road. They played two teams that dealt with key injuries and two other very tough squads. They played in hostile environments on short rest. Nothing mattered. They still won.
They blew teams out, scored at will, and turned up the defensive intensity during stretches. They built up an eight game winning streak that they will bring home with them. They just kept winning while experimenting with different lineups.
The most impressive part of this run is that they are not playing that well. Sure, their offense has been fantastic and their defense has been good at times. But they have yet to really play a complete 48 minutes. They still haven’ quite sorted everything out.
Their 31-9 run was an indicator of where they can be. But there’s no sense of urgency because they know they can do that at will. They’re so much better than most teams that they don’t have to play hard for a full game. They’re preserving themselves for the postseason, hoping to go on a third deep run.
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Steve Kerr is still working on the rotations. He’s tinkering with lineups, figuring out which big men he can play and which ones he can’t. The backup guard positions are still being contested between Ian Clark and Patrick McCaw. Klay Thompson returning to form helps relieve the pressure on Kerr and the backups. David West is playing better and Zaza Pachulia looks more comfortable.
The Warriors might still be a piece away. They could make a move for a rim protector because that was vulnerable at times throughout the road trip. But they’re improving every game. They’re winning without playing their best basketball.
Once they fully click, it’ll be over.