If healthy, are the Golden State Warriors a lock to make a run to the 2021-2022 finals? The Warriors have been the best team in the NBA thus far. It’s their hottest start since the 2015 – 2016 season. That year they won the title and won 73 games the following year. The last two years for Golden State haven’t met their standards. Since the 2019 NBA finals, Golden State lost Kevin Durant in free agency and lost Klay Thompson with a Torn ACL and Ruptured Achilles.
Golden State has had a lot of new faces since 2019. With players such as Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, James Wisemen, Gary Payton ll, Nemanja Bjelica, Otto Porter Jr, Damion Lee, etc. Golden State doesn’t have the biggest names on the roster, but the pieces fit perfectly, and they know how to play with each other. Andrew Wiggins versus Harrison Branes for their first championship run is an upgrade. In sports, it’s not always about having the big names. It’s about players willing to sacrifice, being within a system, and trusting the system works. The Golden State Warriors are (18-2) as of the writing. They have the top seed in all the NBA.
One of the main reasons the Warriors have the top seed in the NBA is Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Both are the two leaders of the team and have turned back the hands of time. Curry has been sensational since last season. He’s carried that high-level play into this year. Curry has been the Most Valuable Player so far this season, and it looks like he may win his third MVP.
In 2016, Curry set the league on fire when he made 402 threes in a season. Curry is on pace to make 430 plus threes this season. Curry has taken his game to new heights, and he is just on another level right now. Curry will also pass Ray Allen as the all-time leader in three-point field goals. On the other hand, Draymond Green is the heart and soul of the Golden State Warriors. Green has been the quarterback for this offense; his leadership has played a role in the Warriors being the best team. Green is on pace to win his second Defensive Player of the year.
For every team with championship aspirations, there’s always a role player that plays a big part in why the team won a championship. Jordan Poole has filled that role.
Poole’s all-around game has improved, and he’s one of the favorites to win the Most Improved Player award. Everything is falling into place for Golden State. Poole’s scoring average has increased from 12 points in 2020 to 18 points per game in 2021.
The scary thing about Golden State is that they’re not even at full strength. Klay Thompson and James Wisemen have not played a game yet this season. Both are playing for the G-league affiliate. Thompson is coming off two catastrophic injuries; his return will be sometime in December. Klay Thompson is motivated to return to the form he was before the injures. Thompson was also left off the top 75 all-time list. He let it be known; he felt slighted. Klay’s fire will be there soon as he gets back on the court.
The second overall pick last year, James Weisman, is coming off a torn meniscus. His return is very soon. Weisman is an athletic 7-foot big man who has a lot of promise in the NBA. Are the Warriors a lock to return to the finals when they a healthy Klay Thompson and James Weisman? What will another title mean for Stephen Curry’s legacy? What will another title mean for Steve Kerr’s legacy?
