Since Kevin Durant announced he was leaving Oklahoma City for Golden State, the Warriors have been crowned the 2017 NBA Champions by many people. On paper they look nearly unbeatable. The Warriors roster will feature two of the top three players in the league, the two best three point shooters, one of the most versatile players, one of the best sixth man’s, and plenty of experience. It is hard not to look at them as clear favorites to hang their second banner in three seasons. However, hold off that urge to crown them the champs.
Yes, the Warriors are going to be one of the best teams in the NBA. They will also be the favorites to win the NBA Finals when the season begins. However, if we have learned anything in sports, it would be that nothing is a guarantee. Think back to a little over a month ago. The Warriors held a 3-1 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers with game five back in Oakland. Things changed quickly, Draymond Green was involved in a scuffle with LeBron James which resulted in a suspension and the series changed in a blink of an eye. Green has also been in the news for a couple other off-season incidents which has caused some unwanted attention. A couple weeks ago it was reported that he was being charged with assault. This weekend he posted an inappropriate picture on Snapchat. Both incidents appeared to be a minor case but it shows how just one situation can change the outcome of an entire season or playoff series.
The Warriors will also need to answer how they are going to control the paint. Adding Durant this off-season also meant losing big men Andrew Bogut, Mo Speights, and Festus Ezeli. The Warriors added Zaza Pachulia, but he will not have the same affect on the inside that Andrew Bogut had. Pachulia has career averages of 6.0 rebounds per game and 0.3 blocks per game, compared to Bogut’s numbers of 8.9 rebounds per game and 1.6 blocks per game. Teams will try and attack Golden State on the inside where there will be no real rim protector.
With the Warriors adding Durant, he does add size to their lineup which will help offset the loss of Bogut’s defensive presence. It will still be interesting to see just how much the Warriors will miss Bogut on the inside. If there is any indication of how important Bogut was to the Warriors, just take a look at the last two games of the NBA Finals where the Cavs dominated the boards.
The Warriors will undoubtedly be set up to have a historic season. Anything less than a championship should be considered a failure. Expect this team to be very exciting to watch and have the NBA’s best record come playoff time. If the NBA season is anywhere close to as exciting as the off-season has been then it is sure to be a great season.
Stats are according to basketball-reference.com
