The Golden State Warriors are firing right now, having gone 5-1 and ranking fourth across the league in net rating since the blockbuster acquisition of Jimmy Butler.
Unlike the start of the season where the Warriors surged out to a 12-3 start, this stretch feels far more sustainable given the franchise now has another genuine superstar to pair with Stephen Curry.
Golden State are also set to get Jonathan Kuminga back from injury shortly and have the second-easiest remaining schedule of any team in the Western Conference, meaning there's plenty of optimism surrounding what the franchise could do over the remainder of the season.
The Warriors still have one problem that's bound to be exploited
While that optimism is palpable and really exciting for a team that seemed to be going nowhere at the start of the month, there is still a significant problem staring Steve Kerr and the Warriors in the face.
Since Butler's acquisition, Kerr has cemented a starting lineup of Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Butler, Moses Moody and Draymond Green. However way you slice it, that's an incredibly small starting five with Butler the tallest player at 6'7".
Golden State have used it to their advantage so far on both ends of the floor, having provided enough shooting and scoring on offense while also holding the athletic ability to quickly make rotations and cover each other on defense.
This starting unit is already the third-most used lineup this season, and one that will soon reach the top as they hold a 10.8 net rating, The Warriors as a whole rank sixth in offense, fourth in defense and fourth in net rating in the six games following Butler's arrival.
They also simply haven't played anyone with a real ability to take advantage of their lack of size. The Chicago Bulls don't have a real interior threat, they faced the Milwaukee Bucks without Giannis Antetokounmpo, and two games against the Dallas Mavericks have come while they've missed all three of their notable big men in Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
They did face a pair of All-Star bigs in Domantas Sabonis and Alperun Sengun, but neither are actual seven-footers meaning the size differential wasn't overly drastic. A relatively easy schedule also means this problem may not hit the Warriors for a while.
Perhaps a 6'10" Paolo Banchero can be problematic on Thursday against the Orlando Magic, or more likely Karl-Anthony Towns could cause issue against the New York Knicks next Tuesday. In between those matchups, Golden State visit Philadelphia where the 76ers are likely to be without former MVP Joel Embiid.
But look around the Western Conference and you can quickly see where problems may arise. The Oklahoma City Thunder with a combination of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, The Memphis Grizzlies with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey, the Denver Nuggets with Nikola Jokic, and the Los Angeles Lakers with their new star big guard/forward duo of Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
Golden State will see these four teams just a combined four times over the remainder of the season, but they still should provide an idea of where they could stand heading into the playoffs. Of course, the Warriors could always use the size disparity to their own advantage in terms of playing quicker, but more likely than not they'll face tougher opposition who will have the capability of exploiting their small-ball lineups.