Positive signs from short preseason
The Warriors got what they wanted: After helping fuel the NBA’s rest-or-play debate last season, they watched league officials trim the preseason and space out the regular season a bit more to limit travel-heavy stretches.
Golden State’s exhibition schedule was reduced from seven games to four. Though some teams could use more preparation time, the Warriors appear ready to chase another NBA title. Here are five takeaways from their preseason:
1. The Warriors are better than they were last season.
Golden State’s 2-2 preseason record is somewhat deceiving. After an abbreviated offseason, the team was trying to ease back into the grind of a championship pursuit — a task made trickier by its weeklong tour of China.
Still, the Warriors left little doubt that they’ve improved.
Having 12 players back from its 2016-17 championship roster gives Golden State the luxury of familiarity. Unlike last season, when they were incorporating six new players — including Kevin Durant — into a group that had just dropped the NBA Finals in seven games, the Warriors know how to work off each other.
Several offseason additions pushed their bench to another level. Golden State is the rare team that boasts 15 players who could be in most NBA teams’ rotations, which makes it uniquely qualified to weather any setbacks. That much was clear in Friday’s 117-106 exhibition win over the Kings, when the Warriors’ supporting cast made up for the absences of Kevin Durant (virus), Draymond Green (back strain) and Andre Iguodala (back strain).
2. Staying focused could be Golden State’s biggest challenge.
The Warriors know that, even on off nights, they have enough talent to beat most teams convincingly. Such an embarrassment of riches makes it easy to get complacent, of course. Last season, after building a big lead, Golden State often got lackadaisical and let its opponent back into the game.
Inattention was again a problem in the preseason, especially on the defensive end. The Warriors surrendered a combined 219 points in their first two exhibitions before giving up 72 points in the first half of last Sunday’s win over Minnesota in Shanghai.
Coasting at times is not necessarily horrible for a team of this caliber. With their season likely to go into June, the Warriors could benefit from preserving energy. The important thing is not letting focus wane so frequently that it starts hurting Golden State’s chances of locking up home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
3. Stephen Curry is ready to build off his sensational 2017 playoffs.
It took a couple of months for Curry to adjust to playing alongside Durant. By the time the playoffs arrived, Curry was back at his unanimous-MVP level. Curry averaged 28.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 2 steals to help lead Golden State to a 16-1 postseason record and its second NBA title in three seasons.
Now, after taking plenty of time away from the court this summer to recharge, Curry is in peak form. Head coach Steve Kerr went far enough Thursday to say, “This is probably as good as (Curry) is ever going to be. I think he’s better now than he was last year or the year before.”
Such praise is difficult to dispute. In the win in Shanghai, Curry needed three quarters and 20 shots to score 40 points. It took him 18 minutes Friday to pour in 18 points.
4. The Warriors’ China trip was inconvenient, but it won’t matter much.
Golden State agreed to devote half of its preseason to playing two exhibitions in China for the chance to build relationships — with fans, as well as companies — in the NBA’s largest international market. But in spending a week nearly 7,000 miles from the Bay Area, Golden State sacrificed valuable time to prepare to defend its NBA title.
The Warriors practiced only twice in China, which irked the coaching staff. The good news? Golden State is as equipped as any team in the league to overcome such a preseason interruption. After cruising to a 142-110 rout of Minnesota in Shanghai, the Warriors showcased their depth in Friday’s win over Sacramento.
It seems unlikely that the hangover from the China trip will seep into Tuesday’s opener. Even if Golden State struggles against Houston, Kerr won’t fret. The Warriors dropped last season’s opener to San Antonio by 29 points before winning 67 regular-season games.
5. Rookie Jordan Bell is as good as advertised.
Golden State paid the Bulls $3.5 million for Bell’s draft rights largely because it believed his high motor and defensive versatility gave him a chance to contribute immediately. Through four preseason games, the rookie from Oregon has made good on the Warriors’ investment.
Late in the exhibition win over Minnesota, Bell scored four straight times, all on dunks or layups. With Green sitting out Friday, Bell posted 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting, with 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in 24 minutes.
The question is whether preseason production will translate into a spot in the regular-season rotation. With three proven centers in Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee and David West, and Green entrenched at power forward, the Warriors might not be able to give Bell consistent minutes.
At this point, he is poised to earn occasional playing time off the bench when the matchup calls for another big man capable of guarding multiple positions. But who knows? Perhaps Bell’s skill set will make it impossible for Kerr to not make him a staple of the rotation.