Health will be a key as Warriors try to stay on path to NBA title
By Mark Medina mmedina@bayareanewsgroup.com
Most NBA conversations these days end with the same foregone conclusion: Just hand the Warriors another championship trophy already.
After all, that’s probably what people should say when a team has the experience and talent to reach a familiar destination seemingly on autopilot.
But any would-be foregone conclusion begs for a devil’s advocate. Surely there’s a chance the Warriors could somehow lose their way, right?
In the spirit of assuming nothing, we present five things that need to go right to ensure the Warriors hold up the Larry O’Brien trophy again in June:
They must stay healthy
Few teams have an answer for Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson launching 3-point bombs, Kevin Durant dominating in the post and Draymond Green doing a little bit of everything from anywhere. But not even those players can accomplish those things if they’re sitting on the bench wearing fancy suits.
The good thing about the War-
riors: Their core roster is in its prime both in its play and with its health. So the Warriors do not need to keep an aging veteran in bubble wrap.
The NBA season has a way, though, of allowing nicks and scrapes to become something more serious. Hence, Warriors coach Steve Kerr will likely adhere to his philosophy on finding pit stops during the race to rest or limit his stars’ minutes.
They must avoid complacency
The highlight reels suggest Curry and Thompson will make any shot they want. The depth chart appears too overwhelming to match. Their culture seems too special to duplicate.
The Warriors are mindful of their intrinsic advantages over the rest of the league. But they are forcing themselves not to think those qualities will automatically lead to their third NBA title in four years.
To guard against letdowns, Kerr has looked at his team’s weaknesses through a magnifying glass. He spent training camp harping on the team’s passing. He emphasized basic fundamentals such as setting quality screens and making sharp cuts. He pointed out in film sessions even the slightest mistakes his players made on offense and defense.
Is Kerr splitting hairs with a team that might be on the cusp of dynasty status? Perhaps, but he hopes that approach will help the Warriors stay engaged.
They must survive the West
As the NBA’s general managers spent countless hours on the phone and in pitch meetings, their vision often pointed to one thing: Make a move that will give them a better chance to beat the Warriors.
The Houston Rockets acquired Chris Paul to pair with James Harden. Oklahoma City landed Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, which certainly helped Russell Westbrook’s decision to sign an extension. Minnesota picked up Jimmy Butler to complement its young roster.
So even if the Warriors are staying healthy and hungry, the task becomes much tougher to duplicate when every team will exhaust its resources every night. That approach might not hold up in a playoff series against this team. But the Warriors could experience attrition in the regular season if they absorb multiple counter punches from a handful of opponents.
They must not reinvent the wheel
The Warriors have already become a model franchise in recent years, as their selfless play, star power and fun atmosphere have become the envy of the league. So there’s no need to steer away from something that has already worked.
The Warriors’ success will still hinge on lots of 3-point shots (see: Curry, Thompson), defensive intensity (see: Green) and versatility (see: Andre Iguodala).
To broaden their perspective and keep things fun, Kerr still plans to hold team-building events and invite guest speakers. To keep themselves innovative, the Warriors will still try to be on the cutting edge with sports science and analytics.
New faces must contribute
To fill positional needs and add an infusion of energy, the Warriors still added key pieces to bolster secondary scoring (Nick Young, Omri Casspi) and frontline depth (Jordan Bell).
Each player has shown varying degrees of progress. After signing with the Warriors at their $5.2 million mid-level exception, Young showed issues with his shooting and conditioning. He then offered signs those problems could go away.
After signing with the Warriors on a veteran’s minimum deal, Casspi immediately seemed comfortable both with cutting to the basket and delivering on catch-and-shoot opportunities.
After the Warriors bought his draft rights from the Chicago Bulls with a 38th pick, Bell climbed up the depth chart behind Green.
Each player has questions marks — Young’s consistency,
Casspi’s health, Bell’s ceiling. On paper, though, each player can provide enough to make the Warriors’ depth even more dangerous.