Analysts everywhere are beginning to release their preseason power rankings. Let’s scan where the Golden State Warriors have been ranked.
A new season is nearly upon us. The 2020-21 NBA campaign offers an opportunity for the Golden State Warriors to climb out of the pit and become a title contender once again. While the franchise will be in dismay without Klay Thompson for yet another season – there is still reason to be optimistic about the chances of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green leading a team of young stars to the playoffs.
Personally, I believe the Warriors are the third-best team in the Western Conference – behind only the two LA powerhouses. The Dubs not only have more championship experience than the other contending teams but they also still have the most talented point guard in NBA history in his prime.
Nonetheless, analysts haven’t been as convinced that Curry will be enough to make the Warriors competitive again. In fact, John Schuhmann of NBA.com has the Dubs outside of the playoff picture in the West.
NBA.com – 9th
The Warriors rank ninth in his power ranking of the conference, underneath the Phoenix Suns. Schuhmann sights the injury to Thompson as his core reasoning for the Dubs being placed so low. However, it feels ridiculous to think the Suns, a franchise that has been in turmoil for decades, would somehow be able to surpass the Dubs after one successful run in the Orlando Bubble and the addition of a few aging veterans.
Bleacher Report – 11th
This one is more respectable, as BR’s Power Ranking included all 30 teams. This makes the Warriors the sixth-best team in the West – behind the Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers. While I expect the Dubs to rise above many of those teams – this is a fair placement.
CBS Sports – 12th
Similarly to BR, CBS Sports have the Warriors just outside of the top 10 but still inside the Western Conference Playoff Picture. However, they note that the Dubs are only a tier below the two LA teams, and will be battling with squads like the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz for championship aspiration.
This ranking feels appropriate. The Dubs have plenty of question marks that need to be answered entering the season. Still, I wouldn’t bet against Curry and the rest of the Warriors figuring out how to make this work.