Golden State Warriors ranked as fourth most exciting team
By Tony Pesta
Analysts appear to be split on whether or not the Golden State Warriors will be a legit title contender — but everyone feels confident in placing them as one of the most exciting teams entering the 2021-22 NBA season.
It is unclear if the Golden State Warriors have what it takes to win a championship but there is no doubt they will entertain this season.
There are many factors working against the Dubs. Klay Thompson’s looming recovery has him slated to miss at least the first few months of the season while the rest of the team looks to provide enough support for Stephen Curry to lead them to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
This alone makes the upcoming season a fun one for the Warriors. We already saw what a fully unleashed Curry could do last season, leading the league in scoring at 32 points on a blistering hot 48.2 percent shooting clip. Had it been a full 82 game schedule, he might have broken the single-season 3-point record.
Where Curry was a lone wolf on offense last year, hardly receiving more than 18 points per game from the next best scorer on the team (and only three other players scoring in double-digits) he is now surrounded by a team full of capable passers, shooters and creators.
The additions of Otto Porter and Nemanja Bjelica will go a long way for generating offense this season. What’s more, Jordan Poole’s recent explosion suggests the Dubs will be able to safely navigate the next few months without Klay.
Toss in the ever-exciting Draymond Green, who continues to be one of the most unique players in NBA history, rating near the top of the league in assists yet being completely unable to score the ball himself, all the while playing elite defense on the perimeter and in the paint — there are simply too many things that make Green a fascinating talent.
All of this has put the Warriors fourth in Zach Lowe’s ranking of the most exciting teams to watch. Ahead of them are Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. Other teams on the list include the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns and surprisingly, the new-faced Chicago Bulls who have looked impressive during the preseason.
I’d mostly agree with this list, though I would put a Curry heat-check firmly atop the list as the most exciting thing that could happen in the NBA. And, this will be doubled once Thompson returns to the floor. I mean, is there anything that will generate more excitement next year than Klay’s long-awaited debut?