Strength in Numbers 2.0 – The Warriors rediscover their identity

The Golden State Warriors are a deep team once again. This is somewhat hard to believe considering they finished last season going seven deep, looking dead on their feet as they fell to the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament.

Strength in Numbers has made a triumphant return to the Bay Area as the Golden State Warriors re-embrace the motto that made them champions.

The 2021 Warriors were the worst offense in the Kerr era whenever Stephen Curry took a seat on the bench. For an entire season, Warrior fans across the land held their breath and got used to painfully counting down the ‘non-Steph’ minutes whilst their superstar took a breather. A far cry from the famous moniker of ‘Strength in Numbers’ embodied by Warrior’s championship teams of the past.

Tuesday night’s opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, however, painted a different story. A familiar tale with an almost nostalgic quality – the ball was moving, the threes were falling, and the new-look Dubs were reminiscent of the Warriors of old.

On a night where Curry struggled with his shot and even labeled his own performance as ‘trash’ – the Warriors managed to roll with the punches and hang in thanks to a contribution that went 12 players deep. The Warriors of last year would’ve been blown out of the gym in any game where Curry shot 5-21 from the field.

Off-season recruit Nemanja Bjelica was the star of the show, repeatedly slicing up the Lakers with his expert playmaking. In his Warriors debut, the Serbian poured in 15 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists – whilst being trusted by the coaching staff to close the game alongside Draymond Green in the frontcourt. After the game, Green himself sang Bjelica’s praises, saying: “he’s a huge reason we pulled this game out tonight, f*cking plus 20, that’s incredible.”

Jordan Poole, after a rough first half, licked his wounds and rose to the challenge in the second. His 20 points – eight of which came early in the fourth quarter, sparked the Warriors’ comeback. Even Gary Payton II, who logged just 7.3 seconds of game time was able to force a steal during his only possession on the floor.

However, if Tuesday night was a trip down memory lane, then Andre Iguodala was the conductor of the nostalgia express. In his Warrior return, the veteran looked every bit at home, fitting seamlessly back into the offensive system. The 37-year-old provided the second unit with the calming presence they’d so desperately missed since his departure in 2019. Iguodala rolled back the clock and matched his season-high in scoring from last season in just his first game back with the Dubs. Overall, the Warriors bench outscored the Lakers 55-26 – quite simply the overwhelming difference in the ball game.

Against the Clippers, the bench didn’t have as much to do since Steph decided to go super-nova – torching the Clippers for 45 points on 8 of 13 shooting from downtown. However, Iguodala was once again was up to his old tricks. Late in the fourth quarter the veteran’s swarming defense helped turn the tide in the Warriors favor, whilst a pair of Damion Lee threes steadied the ship. Setting the scene for Curry to close the game out.

After two seasons of wandering around the wilderness, the Warriors have finally found their way again. They’ve regained their identity and rediscovered their mojo. Strength in numbers is back. The moves they made this summer finally prioritized maximizing Curry’s strengths. They’ve added shooting, high IQ veterans, and built a bench that can survive without him.

The Warriors don’t have the most stacked roster ever – but they’ve now got a deep team that they can throw a real shot with. If the opening two games is a precursor for what’s to come, then the Warriors will have their shot at the title this year. What a difference an off-season makes.