It was a bumpy start to the 2020-21 NBA season but the Golden State Warriors have cracked the top 10 in the latest power rankings.
The new NBA Power Rankings have been released for Week 4. After a tumultuous start to the season, the Golden State Warriors seem to have found their footing. They went 3-1 over the past week, with a win against the 3rd seeded Los Angeles Clippers. After a rough start, the warriors managed to sneak into a top 10 spot.
After being ranked #20 in the Week 3 power rankings, this is a stark improvement, jumping 10 spots. The return of Draymond Green has been a blessing to their lineup. His presence on the floor and playmaking ability have directly impacted this team’s ability to win.
Another welcome surprise has been the defensive improvement of Andrew Wiggins. Over the past week, he’s averaging 1.5 blocks per game and 0.8 steals per game. He’s not going to win defensive player of the year, but for a team in desperate need of some defense, he is proving that he can be serviceable.
The shooting struggles for Kelly Oubre Jr. are still painfully present, but optimism still remains that he can turn it around. His decision making has been concerning, and he isn’t living up to the expectations that were placed on him defensively.
James Wiseman has been what he was cracked up to be. Throughout the past week, he’s notched a block per game and is continuing to score efficiently. We saw flashes last night of impressive athleticism, and he should only continue to improve as the season progresses.
And then there’s Steph Curry. He has been on an absolute tear over the past 5 games, averaging 30.8 points per game on 41% shooting from deep. He’s also distributing the ball reliably, with 6.8 assists per game.
Although still very early in the season, the Warriors are proving that they can still contend for a playoff spot. With plenty of games left, expect their stock to rise as the team begins to mesh.