Do the Warriors have the potential to return to the top of the NBA?

Golden State surprised many with its start this season, but can it stay in contention to go to the playoffs and compete for the championship?

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Just two and a half years ago, the Golden State Warriors They won the NBA Finals against the Celtics to win their fourth title in eight seasons and confirm themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in the history of the League, led by Stephen Curry on the court and Steve Kerr on the bench

However, several things have changed since then, in May 2023 those from the Bay fell in the semifinals of the Western Conference against the Lakers, after having the sixth best record in the sector and in 2023-24 they did not even qualify, with a record of 46-36 and the fall in the Play-In.

Along the way, the roster has also had movements, Klay Thompson He left this summer for the Dallas Mavericks, Otto Porter He left and then he retired and Jordan Poole He joined the Wizards from July 2023, making Kerr lost three key pieces in the most recent coronation.

Therefore, at the beginning of this campaign There were doubts about the future of the franchise, with a 36-year-old Steph Curry and a 34-year-old Draymond Green who was noticed more for fights and suspensions than for his contribution on the court.besides that Andrew Wiggins has not taken the step to become a reference.

Nevertheless, Everything is different at the start of 2024-25, the Warriors have surprised the rest of the League and they have even led the West and remain in the fight for the positions of honor, in a sector in which other teams that hoped to shine have entered into a process of analysis.

With this, the illusions have returned in California: that Curry and Green They may still have one last attempt at the ring, with Wiggins as Thompson’s successor and with a young group, who, despite wearing a jersey with recent triumphs, has not had the opportunity to star in those celebrations.

Kerr’s hand is evident in this transformation in a squad that if it keeps up the pace could be a real threat in the playoffs, because unlike several of its rivals, it has experience in these instances and its figures know what it takes to go to the end.

For a start, Curry He has been at MVP level, although he averages fewer minutes (30.2) and points (22.6) per game compared to the previous schedule, he has increased assists (6.6), rebounds (5.6) and maintains his aim (41.9% from the arc) , with more than four hits from third dimension per game, some of them to decide the victory in their favor.

Wiggins He has also recovered his memory, with more than 17 points per game, similar to the 2022-23 level, assuming the main role when the older players rest because he is 29 years old and can carry a heavier load than others in the locker room.

Although Green continues to have behavioral problemshad been a starter in all the games of the campaign, so his statistics have complemented the rest of the members, in addition to giving voice to experience on defense and being the strategist on offense.

In the rest, the magic of Kerr has appeared, despite being left without his main assistant, Kenny Atkinson (who is now in charge of the Cavaliers), because the coach has managed to fit the newly arrived pieces together to put together a deeper rotation, so that the team advances compared to what that showed a few months ago.

In June he arrived Lindy Waters IIIwho in three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder only started one game, however, since November 15 he has been part of the starting quintet, as the other guard alongside Currywhich translates into defensive strength because their attacking numbers are not spectacular.

In the massive exchange that brought Thompson to Texas, two veterans arrived at the institution, Kyle Anderson from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Buddy Hieldof the Philadelphia 76ers, who have found their place in the rotation off the bench.

Anderson averages 15 minutes, with 5.1 points, 2.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds, a little below what he did in Minnesota, where he had almost seven more minutes. For its part, Hield is the third offensive weapon after Curry and Wiggins, with 15.3 points, almost four more than in the previous schedule, with 3.4 triples each night and leads the reserves as a candidate for Sixth Man.

As for the post, the coach has trusted the second-year player, Trayce Jackson-Davis, who averages two minutes more than the veteran Kevin Looneywith whom the load of rebounds and blocks is shared, although the youngest contributes more to the offense, with 7.9 points per duel.

TAll this has taken pressure off the two future bets for the team: Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemskithe first is now a substitute and has three fewer minutes per game compared to the previous year, but contributes almost 14 points per night, although with less precision in his 11.6 field attempts.

Podziemsky He also averages three minutes less compared to his rookie campaign and almost a point and a half less, but he is the third best passer on the squad, only behind the two legends, who stand out in that area; With more patience, you can mature at your own pace.

“We have someone who is a connector and can put the ball on the floor and create, like BP and obviously he and I started a lot of games last year, but we also have Buddy, who can shoot, who opens up space and is a veteran “We have several options (at guard),” Steph said in October.

The triples that went with Klay had been covered by Hield and De’Anthony Meltonwho converted 2.2 per game, until he suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season, which could cause the Warriors to go on the market to look for another weapon for the playoffs.

“I want Wigs to shoot six, seven triples every night, for Brandin, Moses (Moody), De’Anthony to do it, I want us to be a team with a high volume of shots, it is important for us, the biggest change is that Klay no longer Yes, we were fourth in the League in three-point attempts last year, but he shot eight to 10 of them, we have to cover that gap, that will come from a lot of people,” he had said. Kerr in preseason.

Golden State is currently the eighth best offense in the NBA, with 116.2 points per gameis fourth in three-point attempts (42.2) and in successes (15.8), numbers close to 2023-24, when they had 117.8, 38.9 attempts from long distance and 14.8 in conversion, so the departure of the Splash Brother is less noticeable .

However, as has happened in recent days, injuries and fatigue can affect a roster led by veterans and that also constantly faces tough tests because it faces a Western Conference in which there are several candidates and a large number of stars.

What happens in the coming weeks regarding the record of Golden State and its possibilities will increase the rumors about adding a player to complete the threat and, therefore, would also increase the options of fighting decisively for the top of the League.

It would be an unexpected situation, after a beginning in which there was talk of transition, with Curry as the leader of a youth squad in the midst of a change and even with the possibility that Steph would leave to reinforce a team with aspirations, but his place is in the Bay.

As long as the Warriors keep Kerr, Curry and Draymond, their options to compete are always widewith perfect complements for a system that has shown that with Harrison Barnes or Kevin Durant it can work and that is now also trying to test it without Thompson.