Warriors Believe in Themselves, Maybe You Should Too
The dynasty is crumbling.
Or is it?
The stars are aging.
Or are they?
After nearly a decade of dominance, the Golden State Warriors’ championship window has slammed shut.
Or has it?
Golden State smacked the LeBron James–less Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday 128–110. It was the Warriors' seventh win in their last eight games and nine in their last 11. They are third in the last 11 games in offensive rating. Same with defense. In net rating, they slip all the way to fourth. Only the Utah Jazz have a better rebounding percentage during that stretch.
Do you believe in Golden State? You certainly believe in Stephen Curry. Half of Curry’s 32 points Thursday came in the first quarter, when he outdueled Anthony Davis to stake the Warriors to an early lead. Weeks shy of his 36th birthday, Curry isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. His scoring (28.1 points per game) is steady. His efficiency numbers are strong. His playmaking—Curry handed out eight assists against the Lakers—hasn’t missed a beat. “He’s the most skilled player I think I’ve ever seen,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. Whoever Golden State plays in the postseason, Curry can still be the best player on the floor.
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Do you believe in Klay Thompson? Thompson’s debut as a sixth man last week, a 35-point, 28-minute outburst against the Jazz, couldn’t have gone better. His second game, statistically, couldn’t have gone worse. Curry acknowledged it was “weird” seeing Thompson on the sideline to start the game. But there are advantages to having him with the second unit. Thompson had four assists against the Lakers, three to rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis, who finished with 17 points.
“[Thompson] was so decisive with what he wanted to do with the ball,” Curry said. “Getting it to Trayce on time and Trayce was doing the rest. I liked that he had fun doing it and that he appreciated the fact that that’s the option that he has on offense, if his shot’s falling or not falling, no matter what it looks like.”
Do you believe in Jonathan Kuminga? There’s a reason Golden State refused to include Kuminga in any trade packages. Kuminga’s numbers in January: 20.6 points on 58.6% shooting. His numbers in February: 18.2 points on 53% shooting. Early season tension with Kerr has dissolved. Kuminga took advantage of an enhanced role during Draymond Green’s suspension, becoming, “a bona fide No. 2 option,” per Green.
“You just don’t know when something’s going to click,” Kerr said. “But something has clicked.”
Do you believe in Andrew Wiggins? Wiggins played a key role on Golden State’s title-winning team in 2022. His struggles this season, most notably playing with Kuminga, have been spotlighted for their failures. But Wiggins’s play has surged of late. He’s played in 10 of the Warriors’ last 11 games. He’s shooting 52.3% from the floor and connecting on 47.1% of his threes. He has a plus/minus of 7.7. Against the Lakers, Wiggins scored 20, including nine in the fourth quarter.
“I love the way Wiggs is playing right now,” Kerr said.
Do you believe in Brandin Podziemski? In 15 games as a starter, Podziemski is averaging 11.3 points and is among the best rebounding guards in the league.
As for Jackson-Davis, the second-round pick’s minutes have dipped in February, but his efficiency against the Lakers (8 of10 from the floor) was a reminder of what the Warriors have seen since the opening months of the season.
And Green? He has rejuvenated Golden State’s offense in recent weeks. “Nobody understands how to get shooters shots better than Draymond Green,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said recently. And Kerr shifting Green to a small-ball center has sparked a defensive revival.
More help is on the way. Chris Paul, out for more than a month with a hand injury, could return next week. Kerr acknowledged the “numbers crunch” Paul’s return would create “literally every night.” Kerr said closing rotations would be “fluid, based on how the game is going,” but noted that Paul, statistically, has been in all of Golden State’s best lineups.
“It won’t be easy,” Kerr said. “But as long as everybody is committed to winning the game and recognizing that every night could be a little different then I think we’re going to be in good shape.”
Some coaches tell players to ignore the standings. Kerr is encouraging it. At 28–26, the Warriors are 10th in the Western Conference, a half-game behind the Lakers for ninth and three in the loss column back of the sixth-seed Dallas Mavericks. The goal, Kerr says, is to avoid the play-in tournament. Even if they can’t, the focus should be leapfrogging past as many teams in front of them.
“He had a great speech about that yesterday,” Curry said. “The way I approach it, six seed is the goal. This is probably the ultimate test of ‘stay right where you are, win every game that’s in front of you.’ Build up a joy and an energy and momentum. It’s a lofty goal, but we know we can get there.”
They believe.
Do you?