If we’re going strictly based on their record, the Golden State Warriors would rank outside of the NBA’s top 10 teams. However, anyone keeping up with the league can tell the Dubs are better than their win/loss column indicates.
It may not be reflected in their record, but the Golden State Warriors are quietly becoming one of the best teams in the NBA.
Most assumed the Warriors would be doomed without Klay Thompson this season. With Stephen Curry serving as the team’s only superstar – it didn’t seem likely that this supporting cast would be strong enough to keep the team afloat.
Players like Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre, Eric Paschall, Damion Lee, Kent Bazemore, James Wiseman, Brad Wanamaker and Juan Tuscano-Anderson all entered the season with the task of exceeding expectations filling their roles. While they’ve stumbled at points, the Dubs’ supporting cast is beginning to come together.
Wiggins has transcended into a 3-and-D threat, appearing as one of the NBA’s strongest perimeter defenders and shooting a career-high from deep. Oubre isn’t too far behind, playing strong defense as well and bumping his 3-point percentage to 46.3 percent in February.
As for the rest, each member of the supporting cast has had their shining moment. Lee drilled a game-winning 3-pointer early in the season while Bazemore led a strong fourth quarter push with a season-high 26 points to beat the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, Tuscano-Anderson has become a frequent starter due to injuries freeing up an opportunity. He’s averaging 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists since cracking the starting five – becoming a solid addition to the rotation.
Even the rookie, Wiseman, was embracing his role on the bench before suffering an injury. Wiseman scored a career-high 25 points shortly before spraining his wrist. He should be evaluated soon before rejoining the team in the back half of the season.
Have we mentioned Draymond Green? The league’s best point forward is dishing more assists than anyone in the NBA over his last 10 games and has been a fantastic leader for this unsung group. There’s no way to fully understand what Green brings to the floor each night unless you watch him play.
The same goes for Curry, who is arguably having the greatest individual season of his career. His numbers are identical to his unanimous MVP run – but the wins aren’t there right now. He has hit 62-of-131 (47.3 percent) attempts from deep over his last 10 games, leading the NBA by a wide margin.
The Warriors rank top 10 in points, 3-pointers, assists and blocks this season. They are also fifth in Defensive Rating – but have fallen to 20th in Offensive Rating. As for their Net Rating, the Warriors have crawled their way to 10th and sit behind only the Utah Jazz in the last 10 games.
However, one thing the advanced analytics can never account for is the power behind one of Curry’s explosive games. At any given time, Curry can scorch an opponent and elevate the Warriors to a caliber that few can compete with. He’s already had nine games of 35+ points and has hit five or more 3-pointers in over half of his outings this season.
This is what makes the Warriors stand out from their 16-13 record. When you suit up against the Dubs, you run the risk of being destroyed by Curry. He’s scored the 15th most points in the clutch this season, shooting 7-of-13 from deep with the game on the line. All the Dubs need to do is play good enough to keep the game close – then Curry can handle the rest.
While there may be plenty of teams with more wins, I wouldn’t bet against the Warriors from shocking a few more opponents before the season ends.