Golden State Warriors are already breaking the NBA
By Tony Pesta
It didn’t take long for the return of the Splash Brothers to set the league ablaze. Although Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are far from full strength, the Golden State Warriors are already breaking the NBA.
The Golden State Warriors have the best five-man lineup in the entire NBA as they gain momentum heading into the All-Star break.
Curry, Thompson, Otto Porter, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney are putting a strain on opponents every night. This group is the best five-man outing in the entire league.
This is in spite of Curry being in the midst of his worst shooting slump (which he might have snapped in a 21-point fourth-quarter versus Houston) and the fact that Thompson is still finding his groove after missing two seasons of NBA basketball.
The on-court value of the Splash Brothers stands whether or not they are making shots at a high rate. You can’t leave them open, and Thompson’s late-game 3-pointer against Brooklyn is a key example as he was just 1-of-7 before that dagger.
Then, there is Looney, who has steadily been bunkering down in the paint to keep Golden State competitive despite their lack of size. Looney is averaging 10.7 rebounds in his last 12 games and has been playing superb defense.
As for Wiggins, he earned a starting position in the All-Star Game for a reason. He’s a lethal two-way player who is shooting the lights out from deep.
The same can be said for Porter, albeit at a smaller scale. His effectiveness on both ends of the floor and high-IQ makes him everything the Warriors could ask for on the wing.
This lineup has already been impressive and Golden State can bank on being even stronger once Draymond Green returns. They’ve won six in a row and can soon look forward to chasing the top spot in the Western Conference once again.