Golden State Warriors

LGW: The Kent Bazemore Conundrum
Chris Humphreys – USA Today Sports Images

Chris Humphreys – USA Today Sports Images

When Toney Douglas went down with a stress reaction in his left tibia, Kent Bazemore was presented with a big opportunity. Mark Jackson said that Andre Iguodala would see the majority of the minutes at the backup point guard position but that Bazemore would be the next option. Before this, Bazemore rarely saw any playing time. With Douglas out, he was expected to get more minutes at both guard positions.

The Golden State Warriors have played five games since Douglas was ruled out for two weeks. In those five games, Bazemore has averaged four minutes per game. In the first game without Douglas, he played nine minutes and turned the ball over three times.

Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.

Are the Golden State Warriors Now an Elite Team?

October 24, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12), shooting guard Andre Iguodala (9), and point guard Stephen Curry (30) look on during the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena. The Trail Blazers defeated the Warriors 90-74. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

The Golden State Warriors currently have an 8-3 record, which is the third best record in the Western Conference. They are 5-0 at Oracle Arena, and they have already had several blowout wins so far this season.

They’ve impressed NBA analysts and fans with their uptempo, fun style of play and their stellar defense. Offensively, they shoot an outstanding 46 percent from three, which leads the NBA, and they’re tied for fifth in the NBA with 24.3 assists per game. They also shoot 48.5 percent from the field, which ranks second in the NBA.

Defensively, they allow opponents to shoot 42.3 percent, fifth best in the NBA, and they allow 96.3 points per game, sixth in the NBA. They allow opponents to shoot just 31.8 percent from three, third in the NBA. Also, they average 8.8 steals per game, ninth best in the NBA, and they average 5.6 blocks per game, seventh in the NBA.

All of these statistics are impressive, but stats only tell part of the story. There are many reasons why the Warriors are an elite team in the NBA.

First of all, the Warriors have one of the best starting lineups in the NBA. Stephen Curry is a star, Klay Thompson is developing into a complete player, Andre Iguodala is extremely versatile, David Lee is a double-double machine, and Andrew Bogut is a powerful defensive anchor. In fact, the Warriors have six proven starters. Harrison Barnes is still developing, but he could easily be a starter on this team because of his athleticism, his ability to play power forward, and his improvement in the post.

Second, the Warriors have a deep roster. Although their bench has struggled at times this season, the Warriors have several key contributors off the bench including Jermaine O’Neal, Marreese Speights, Toney Douglas, and Draymond Green. Kent Bazemore has struggled this year, and Nemanja Nedovic and Ognjen Kuzmic are still developing. The bench will gain more chemistry once they play more together.

Third, the Warriors made, arguably, the best and most significant acquisition of the offseason. The Warriors traded away some bloated contracts and useless players in Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins (and Brandon Rush, who wasn’t useless) and added the perfect complement to this Warriors team in Iguodala. He can do everything well, he has a high basketball IQ, and he makes everyone around him better.

He also improves this Warriors offense because of his ability to handle the ball, make plays, and drive to the basket. When he gets into the paint, defenders close in on him because of his ability to finish and that gives more wide-open looks to Curry and Thompson. In addition to his slashing ability, he also can shoot from mid-range and from three. He’s a great rebounder for his size, he’s able to run the offense, and he’s one of the best defenders in the NBA. He makes the Warriors a serious title contender.

October 5, 2013; Ontario, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Andre Iguodala (9) dunks to score a basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Citizens Business Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

On paper, these factors make the Warriors an elite team. On the court, the Warriors also prove why they’re an elite team. As mentioned before, Iguodala is a huge part of this offense. When he’s making plays, the Warriors are at their best. They’re also at their best when everyone is involved on a given play. All five of the Warriors’ starters are above-average passers, which is a significant reason why they’re an elite team. Each starter is more than capable of getting five assists in any given game. When the Warriors are passing the ball quickly and effectively, they are almost unstoppable.

Warriors basketball starts and ends with their defense though. This is the second year that the Warriors are playing under the defensive scheme that Coach Mark Jackson and former head assistant coach Mike Malone implemented last year. After allowing their opponents to shoot 43.9 percent from the field last season (fourth best in the NBA), the Warriors look even stronger defensively this season.

One reason why their defense is especially stellar this season is because of the addition of Iguodala and the fact that Bogut is healthy right now. Iguodala is able to guard four positions, which gives the Warriors a lot of options, in terms of matchups. Bogut drastically improves the Warriors’ defense because of his ability to block and alter shots and how opponents attack the basket.

The other reason why their defense is so effective is because of the general principle behind their defensive scheme. The Warriors have the mindset to focus on defense, because that’s the kind of team they are now. Their defense leads to their offense. Offense isn’t their primary focus anymore. It all starts with defense. When they get steals and blocks on defense, that leads to fast breaks, which is where they thrive. They’re so efficient in transition, because of their ability to shoot threes, attack the basket, and pass to the right person at the right time.

The Warriors are definitely an elite team in the NBA. Of course, it’s still very early in the season though, and they still have a lot to prove. The Warriors need to stay healthy in order to continue to play their dominant style, but they are a top-four team in the Western Conference and could potentially go far in the playoffs.

LGW: How Will the Warriors Deal with Jermaine O’Neal’s Injury?

20131118_jermaine-oneal

The Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 102-88 Saturday night, but, unfortunately, they suffered a loss in that game as well. An MRI revealed that backup center Jermaine O’Neal suffered a bruised right knee and a minor strain in his right groin during the game. This season, O’Neal has averaged 5.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks. Although O’Neal’s stat line this season doesn’t look overly impressive, he’s contributed to this Warriors team in many ways.

Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.

LGW: Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder (5-2) at Golden State Warriors (5-3)

Russell-Westbrook-Stephen-Curry

The Golden State Warriors are coming off of a blowout win against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. The Warriors did just about everything right against the Pistons, and they will need to have the same kind of perfect performance if they want to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.

This game features two of the best teams in the Western Conference, and it also features some pretty exciting matchups. Two of the best point guards in the NBA go head-to-head in this matchup. Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook play two completely different styles. Curry is the best shooter in the NBA, and Westbrook is more of a slasher because of his speed, athleticism, and explosiveness. These two point guards have completely different skillsets, but it’ll be an extremely entertaining matchup.

Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.

Golden State Warriors: How Has Harrison Barnes Been Since Returning?

Mar 11, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives in against the New York Knicks during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeated the New York Knicks 92-63. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

The Golden State Warriors’ bench has been criticized so far this season for their lack of production offensively. The bench certainly got a significant boost when Harrison Barnes returned to the team Nov. 6 against the Minnesota Timberwolves after being held out with left foot inflammation since Oct. 7.

Barnes is expected to be the Warriors’ sixth man and primary offensive option off the bench. With the addition of Andre Iguodala in the offseason, there was much speculation regarding whether Klay Thompson or Barnes would start. Coach Mark Jackson decided before the season started that Thompson would start and Barnes would come off the bench. This decision might have been made by default though, since Barnes was out for most of the preseason with his foot injury.

In his return on Nov. 6, Barnes didn’t look like he had been out for a month with an injury. He was limited to just 14 minutes, but he finished with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting. In his first five minutes, he had eight points and a steal.

In this game, Barnes looked as dominant as he did in the Warriors’ playoff series against the Spurs last season, and he appeared to be the missing piece to the struggling Warriors’ bench. Most importantly, the bench has lacked someone who can create their own shot. Barnes showed his ability to do just that in his first game back. He would take a few dribbles then pull up for a 17-foot jump shot, or he would score on post-ups or drives to the basket.

“I knew he was going to come in and really kill,” Klay Thompson said. “He’s one of the hardest-working players on the team, and he has a really bright future. … He’s one of the better young players in the league, and the sky is the limit for him.”

After Barnes’ impressive season debut though, he struggled in the next two games. Against the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 8, Barnes played 21 minutes and finished with five points on 2-for-6 shooting, starting in place of injured Stephen Curry. Against the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 9, Barnes played 19 minutes and finished with four points on 2-for-7 shooting. In addition to his poor shooting, Barnes also only had two rebounds and one assist in both games.

November 12, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes (40) dunks the ball against the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pistons 113-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Last night against the Detroit Pistons, Barnes played 25 minutes and finished with eight points and three rebounds on 4-for-8 shooting. Barnes had a nice dunk in the game last night, but, overall, it was just an average performance.

So, since returning, Barnes has been somewhat inconsistent. Not to make excuses for him, but he is a young player who is continuing to adjust to the NBA and develop as a player. In addition to his development as an effective NBA player, he’s also playing a new role for this Warriors team than he did last season. After starting every single game he played in last season, he’s coming off the bench and will be the sixth man for the Warriors. This will be a significant adjustment for him, especially given the fact that it’s just his second year in the NBA.

After not practicing or playing in games for a month, Barnes is also still working his way back into game shape. Jackson limited Barnes’ minutes on the road trip, but, as of now, he’s not under any minute restrictions. Barnes will eventually get into basketball shape, which will allow him to play more freely and regain his form. Barnes just needs more experience and more playing time to play as effectively as he did in last season’s playoffs and to adjust to his role as a sixth man.

Warriors fans need to be patient. Some Warriors fans feared that Barnes’ new role at sixth man will hinder his development. However, Barnes will bring to the bench exactly what they have been lacking so far this season. He will be the first option off the bench, so he needs to be aggressive on offense and become that sparkplug that the Warriors need. Barnes has been inconsistent so far this season, but he will slowly develop into an effective, reliable sixth man for the Warriors.

LGW: Preview: Detroit Pistons (2-4) at Golden State Warriors (4-3)
(Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty)

(Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty)

The Golden State Warriors return home tonight after a four-game road trip where they went 2-2. Their two wins came against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. They almost pulled off a great comeback win against the San Antonio Spurs, but they fell a little short. They finished off the road trip with a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

After the game against the Grizzlies, it’s clear that the Warriors need to improve on a few areas. The first area that they need to improve on is taking care of the paint. The Grizzlies had 54 points in the paint compared to the Warriors’ 18 points. This wide of a margin is simply unacceptable. Yes, the Grizzlies have two of the best frontcourt players in the NBA (Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph), but this can’t happen against the Detroit Pistons tonight.

Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.