For the Golden State Warriors, the All-Star break served its purpose as the team’s personal reset button.
Various players and coaches admitted that the team was looking forward to the break while they limped into the midseason classic a half a game behind the Houston Rockets for the number one seed. The Warriors’ mental fatigue was undeniable. It was present when Coach Kerr attempted to shake things up by letting the players coach themselves against Phoenix. It was also evident in the loss against the Blazers.
Since the Warriors pressed ‘reset’, they are riding a five-game winning streak. A streak that includes an impressive 32-point thumping of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder game was the first time in a while that the Warriors clamped down on defense, which is essential in jump-starting the offense.
In addition to the defense, the Warriors only committed 14 turnovers. I mentioned in the last column that when the Warriors commit 16 turnovers or less, they are 38-6. That record is now 42-6 when they turn the ball over less than 16 times per game.
The Warriors’ hot start after the All-Star isn’t a coincidence. Remember, this is the same Warriors squad that’s played nearly 365 games over the past three seasons. Not to mention, miscellaneous games like the China trip in the preseason.
While the Clippers and Thunder games were on a short week, Towns Finest resumes with the best of week 12. Let’s get to it.