Golden State Warriors: A look at what’s on the Dubs’ holiday wish list
By Jelani Scott
Too much milk and cookies for Cavs, Rockets, Spurs, Celtics
On LeBron! On Harden! On Aldridge and Kyrie! On K. Love! On Horford! On Coach Pop and CP3!
If you could combine the talent of these four teams, you would probably compose a roster similar to The Avengers (I like Marvel; leave me alone). Since a team like that is not legally possible, though, fans will just have to marvel at what these squads are doing. As it stands, the Rockets have the best win percentage in the West with the Spurs only 2.5 games behind the Dubs without “The Claw” Kawhi Leonard.
Meanwhile in Beantown, the Celtics continue to go all “Green Monster” on the league (and I’m not talking about The Hulk) as they have fought their way to a league-best 22-4 record without their second star, Gordon Hayward, which may or not change at some point this season. Cleveland, or Golden State’s officially unofficial rival as it were, have started to look their old selves despite still not having Isaiah Thomas as they are currently in the middle of a 13-game win streak.
The scariest part of all this for Warriors fans would be that each team has found success with incomplete rosters but, upon immediately looking back on Golden State’s body of work in the last five years, they go back to sleeping peacefully. These four teams, whether you want to take it seriously or not, are coming. They are coming for the number one spot (shoutout to Ludacris) and the Warriors have to be ready. While it may seem easy to overlook these teams as being too old or too young or too inexperienced in the postseason, it wouldn’t be wise to do.
Next: Surf City Summary (NEW Weekly Santa Cruz Warriors recap column)
We all remember Steph’s comments last month during Boston’s hot start and how blown out of proportion they were but if you look at it for the basic statement they were, it’s clear that they are paying attention. Cleveland-Golden State IV seems inevitable barring catastrophe but if Boston AND Houston AND San Antonio keep playing how they are, we could see a very different matchup in June…and I’m not talking about just in the East.