Dubs must remain engaged for 48 minutes
There have been some slow starts for the Golden State Warriors this season. Though they compensate for this with some of the best third quarters in NBA history — it is a trend they should look to fix as soon as possible.
Take their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, for example. A lackluster opening half left them facing a three-point deficit to a decimated Cavs team. Had it not been for 20 fourth quarter points from Stephen Curry, the Warriors could have dropped a game they should have won with ease.
Now, every team in the league is guilty of taking their foot off the pedal when it comes to random games against inferior opponents. However, the Dubs have had moments of rust appear throughout the last two seasons and their mental lapses will catch up to them, eventually.
This first flaw is nitpicky. Yet, when you are looking to compete for a championship, the Warriors will have to ramp up the intensity and keep every player engaged for all 48 minutes. We will talk more about this in the next two slides.