Even without Klay Thompson, the Golden State Warriors are an elite team.
The Golden State Warriors will be without their All-Star guard, Klay Thompson, at least until February. A torn ACL will hold him back from helping his teammates through a tough season. Regardless, the Warriors will be a top dog in the Western Conference.
Thompson’s injury, plus the loss of Kevin Durant via free agency, led many to believe the Warriors dynasty was coming to an abrupt end. Without two of their main scorers, traversing through the playoffs would be a tall task.
Like always, the Dubs managed to avoid disaster by pulling off the miraculous. A sign-and-trade brought in D’Angelo Russell, a 23-year-old All-Star with the potential to carry the next generation of Golden State basketball.
Russell will be a pivotal member of the team this year. Assuming his development continues without any major speed bumps, Russell is going to dominate in the Warriors fast-paced free-flowing offense.
Alongside Russell will be the two-time MVP, Stephen Curry. Fresh off his best individual postseason to date, Curry is set to go on a revenge tour for the ages. Expect Curry to have another historic season.
Holding it down defensively will be Draymond Green. Combining Green’s versatility with the rest of the Warriors roster is a recipe for success. The playmaking abilities of Green, Curry and Russell give the Dubs plenty of options when setting up their offense.
As you can see, even without Thompson on the floor, the Dubs are an elite team. Three potential All-Stars is no joke. Especially in a league where duos are now running the show for each contender.
When Thompson returns, the rest of the team should already be firing on all cylinders. Adding Klay’s offensive talents will be overkill as the Warriors prove themselves once again. Everyone else may be counting them out, but the Dubs are ready to reclaim the throne this season.