5 foes: Which five teams stand in the way?
The “Strength in Numbers” Warriors are not a team known for chasing individual numbers. And while players aren’t likely to start obsessing over their lines in box scores, the Warriors will look for key team trends amidst the data.
Here are five key areas for them to watch closely:
DEFENSE » For all the talent the Warriors have, Coach Steve Kerr has narrowed in on a variable he believes will largely determine the team’s NBA title fortunes. How well will the Warriors keep their edge?
To do that, Kerr told his players they must rank in the NBA’s top five in defensive efficiency. After all, the Warriors had already done so for the past four seasons. Last season alone, the Warriors led the league in defensive field-goal percentage (43.5 percent), steals (9.57 per game) and blocks (6.77).
If the Warriors live up to this calling, a few developments seem inevitable. They will create easy baskets and force teams to go one-on-one. They appear less likely to take nights off during the NBA dog days.
TURNOVERS » The Warriors have a sturdy championship foundation. They would still like to do some remodeling, though. One of the biggest projects will address one of the few weaknesses the Warriors have. Kerr has issues with the team’s passing and ballhandling.
It might sound weird at first, considering the Warriors have the best backcourt and have one of the most productive offenses. But their flair for the dramatic has also resulted in some lazy passes and subsequent turnovers.
The Warriors ranked 22nd among 30 NBA teams last season in turnovers committed per game (14.4). That played a large part in the Warriors finishing 24th in fast-break points allowed (14.3).
The Warriors still did just fine despite those issues. But in a season where the Warriors are embracing a heftier challenge each night, they hope an upgrade in this category will be enough to keep their cushion.
MINUTES PLAYED » In what amounts to an NBA firstworld problem, the Warriors’ success might actually depend on how little Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green play. They are still starting, carrying the bulk of the production and do not have any significant injuries to monitor.
Because the Warriors are hoping to avoid burnout after three consecutive NBA Finals appearances, though, they will place a high premium on finding ways to shave their minutes.
Thompson (34.0), Durant (33.4), Curry (33.4) and
Green (32.5) logged the kind of minutes last season that very few stars have the luxury. Consider how drastically that workload pales to what LeBron James (37.8), Kyle Lowry (37.4), Andrew Wiggins (37.2), Karl-Anthony Towns (37.0) and Jimmy Butler experienced (37.0). Meanwhile, Thompson ranked only 26th in minutes played.
That kind of conservative playing time will keep the Warriors’ stars fresh for the postseason. Then again, their minutes during the playoffs only picked up considerably among Durant (35.5), Curry (35.4), Thompson (35.1) and Green (34.9). The Warriors frankly have too much depth, so they might as well depend on it.
OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY » The Warriors hardly need analytics to know they are the NBA’s most dominant offensive team. Cue up footage of any Curry, Thompson and Durant highlight, and you can already call it a night. Yet, the Warriors are a well-oiled machine because of the kind of premium fuel they use.
The Warriors have stressed the need to average at least 300 passes per game, and the players have listened. They ranked fifth in the NBA last season in that category (317.2), leading to all types of offensive balance. The Warriors led the league in points per game (115.9), field-goal percentage (49.5 percent) and assists (a franchise record 30.4). They even led the NBA in the so-called hockey assist (9.6).
Surely, you can chalk up some of the scoring and shooting numbers to the greatness of Curry, Thompson and Durant. Those players and their teammates have also benefited from making the extra pass (or two).
REBOUNDING » It seems hard for the Warriors to clean the offensive glass when they keep making shots. So they have little reason to worry about ranking 19th last season in offensive boards per game (9.4).
Instead, the Warriors are focusing on the other end of the court. They ranked third in the NBA last season in defensive rebounds per game (35), which reflected well in many other aspects of the Warriors’ game.
Though the Warriors did not have any player ranked in the top 10 in the league in rebounding, Durant and Green showed that hustle and talent could overcome size disadvantages.
While Durant ranked 19th (8.3 rebounds per game), Green finished at 26th (7.9). Those numbers helped the Warriors push their pace en route to a league-leading 22.3 fastbreak points per game.
Nonetheless, Kerr has penciled in this category as a potential area of concern, mindful of ensuring that such a talented team suddenly does not feel above getting their hands dirty.