For the last three NBA seasons the Golden State Warriors have been dominant, compiling an utterly ridiculous regular-season record of 207 wins against only 39 defeats while winning two championships and nearly winning a third.
To put those regular-season numbers in perspective, during the 2016-17 campaign alone, 20 of the 30 NBA teams lost 39 or more games.
Over the last three postseasons, the Warriors have a record of 47 wins and 16 losses.
To put that in perspective, for the 2016-17 season, only 10 of the 30 NBA teams won at least 47 regular-season games while playing an 82-game schedule.
So how did the Golden State franchise – one that plays its home games across a bridge from one of the more scenic U.S. cities and has one of the most vociferous and loyal fan bases in the league, but is not considered one of the league’s so-called “storied” franchises or – until recently – a popular destination for top free agents and which last won an NBA title in 1975 – rise to such a level?
Capitalizing On Good Fortune, They Drafted Well. Very Well.
In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Warriors used the 7th pick to select a skinny, sharp-shooting, slick-dribbling point guard from Davidson College in North Carolina named Stephen Curry. Not many predicted the level of success he has attained, particularly the Minnesota Timberwolves who selected two point guards – Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn – ahead of Curry.
The Memphis Grizzlies’ selection of Hasheem Thabeet – who only played in a little over 200 NBA games and is no longer in the league – with the 2nd overall pick enabled Curry to drop a few spots as well.
In the 2011 NBA Draft, the Warriors used the 11th pick to select an accurate long-distance gunner from Washington State University, a shooting guard named Klay Thompson, who was also known to get his hands dirty on the defensive end. The Sacramento Kings used the pick right before that on another shooting guard, Jimmer Fredette (a point guard in height only) who now plays in China.
Guys like Derrick Williams and Jan Vesely were selected 2nd and 6th, respectively, allowing Thompson to slide a bit.
With the backcourt already rapidly becoming one of the better shooting combos in the league, the Warriors looked to bolster their frontcourt and used the 7th pick in the 2012 Draft to select a two-way small forward from the University of North Carolina named Harrison Barnes.
They later used the 35th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft to select who many viewed as an undersized, yet versatile power forward from Michigan State University, Draymond Green.
There are at least 10 players from the 2012 Draft selected ahead of Green who are no longer in the league, or barely hanging on. Meanwhile, Green has clearly become the emotional leader of a two-time championship team. And like his two cohorts, he has become dangerous from three-point range as well.
Those four selections represented the youthful core. It was then time to add some compatible veterans.
They Added Some Compatible Veterans.
In the summer of 2013, the Warriors acquired swingman Andre Iguodala – a player just a consistent jump shot away from being a superstar – from the Denver Nuggets in a three-team trade.
Even more important was his willingness to come off the bench. He is good enough to start for any team in the league.
The following summer they signed free-agent guard Shawn Livingston, last with the Brooklyn Nets in an “under-the-radar” signing.
The Warriors knew what they were doing.
With these two signings, the type of player the Warriors were looking for to supplement their core players with became clear. Versatile, long-limbed, team-oriented role players who could pass, slow down the opposition’s top-scoring perimeter player and hit the occasional long-distance shot.
Not terribly shocking that the Warriors re-signed both players when their contracts were up.
They’ve also added complimentary vets such as Marreese Speights, David Lee, David West, Andrew Bogut, Javale McGee, Zaza Pachulia, etc., to keep opponents honest inside the paint, when needed.
They Pass The Ball.
Based on their player acquisitions, it’s evident that in order to be a regular part of the Golden State Warriors’ rotation, one had better be an able (and willing) passer. No team shoots the long ball better than the Warriors, and due to their selflessness most nights combined with the number of dangerous shooters, no team gets to shoot more uncontested threes.
They Defend.
This is the real reason the Warriors win titles. They aren’t a lockdown defensive team, and their pace will result in occasional high-scoring totals for the opposition, but they can get stops when needed. With Green, who can guard most positions on the floor, a solid defender in Thompson and guys like Iguodala and Livingston off the bench, they can make the opponent work most nights.
The Warriors’ offensive firepower makes them good; their defense makes them great.
And After All That, They Added Kevin Durant.
They didn’t really need him, but no one else has him.
Arguably a top-three player in the NBA, the Warriors convinced former scoring champion Kevin Durant to join their already potent lineup, when they already had two of the top long-range scorers in the sport. They are now nearly impossible to defend.
In the process they lost one of the league’s better two-way players in Harrison Barnes, who will have a long, successful NBA career, but his talents were almost buried with this roster.
Durant requires game-planning.
Teams Think They’re Copying the Warriors, But Really Aren’t.
It is extremely rare for one team to have as many players who can effectively spread the floor and score from deep (or find open teammates who can) as the Warriors do.
Most teams are going to be out-manned when playing against Golden State for the next couple of years, and the Warriors must have a good laugh when seeing teams load up on perimeter shooters while trying to beat them at their own game, without playing the same level of defense.
The Cleveland Cavs did it last season – adding guys like Kyle Korver – in anticipation of a finals rematch with the Warriors, but that’s like trying to trade snaps with Chris Rock.
The Upcoming Season
With the exception of a few dissenters, the basketball pundits will expect the Warriors to win their third title in four years, but here’s to hoping the 2017-18 NBA season doesn’t become the eight-month coronation we saw last year.
San Antonio looked primed to at least provide some comp in the 2017 Western Conference Finals until Kawhi Leonard went down with an injury, but barring multiple injuries or the loud clashing of egos, it’s certainly looking like the other 29 teams will once again be playing for the silver medal.
