Monday Musings: Golden State Warriors wrap up another packed, wild week

Things I Liked

The Warriors. I’m going to generalize this first one because I don’t think we appreciate this team enough. Every single game, there’s something that turns it from just another NBA game to a wildly entertaining matchup — Durant’s 20,000th-point milestone, the KD-Giannis matchup in Milwaukee, a battle between two of the NBA’s bests in Toronto.

Remember when random games in January against the Clippers, Bucks and Raptors would just be that — random games between two bad teams? I was reminded of those times on Saturday when I attended a San Jose Sharks game. It was Warriors Night (everyone got a Warriors-themed Sharks jersey), and they had Adonal Foyle dropping the ceremonial first puck.

This Adonal Foyle.

Yep.

The lights out first half. I mean, come on.

Look at the numbers the Warriors put in the first half against the Raptors:

Steve Kerr afterwards called it “probably the best offensive half of basketball I can remember.” It would be hard to disagree, and this is a man who played on Jordan’s Bulls.

When the Warriors, a team with four All-NBA players, are rolling, they are lethal. When they are knocking down open shots, moving the basketball and their sharpshooters are hitting the target, no defense can stop them. Even their bench put on a run, with the likes of Shaun Livingston, David West and Andre Iguodala leading the way in the second quarter.

Kevin Durant. It’s such a luxury to have Durant on the floor, especially when the Warriors need a basket because he can get his shot off from anywhere, at any time.

Case in point: his clutch jumper in the closing seconds against the Raptors that gave the Warriors a 125-122 lead. Look at two defenders jump at Curry up top, and Durant just slide under and bury the shot:

As much as Curry is a dynamic offensive weapon, at times he can be bottled up if defenders play physical and he can’t shoot over them. Durant, with his length, can simply rise and fire, and it’s a guaranteed good look. This is what turns the Warriors from a great team to an all-time juggernaut.

Stephen Curry. This is the other thing that turns the Warriors from great to juggernaut. You can see the difference when he’s on the court. Without him, the Warriors are much more conventional, much more concentrated on halfcourt play. Now, they are still incredibly efficient, with Durant and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green and players who know what they’re doing.

But Curry takes the Warriors to a new dynamic. He stretches the floor, makes defenders commit to him which leaves wide open teammates, and he does things like this:

Look at how they played against the Clippers and Bucks — without Steph — as opposed to their other games. There’s a clear difference.