Golden State Warriors rising - only team to beat Clippers, OKC and Heat

As an LA Clipper fan, I delight in people’s remarks that the Clippers have been the most surprising team this season, shooting off to 32 wins already while ripping off a 17 game winning streak. I’ve to be objective though, there is another team which has truly surprised and surpassed all expectations this season. There is only one team in the NBA which has defeated the Miami Heat, OKC Thunder and the LA Clippers this season. This team was supposed to be a lottery team. Last season they had a 23-43 record. This season they are 26-16 already. As an Indian, in a way it’s something to be proud of that the NBA’s first Indian-American owner of a team is heading his team is such a positive direction. Vivek Ranadive, CEO of Tibco software, is a part owner of the Golden State Warriors and they are tearing the NBA apart this season. In the same week, they have defeated the LA Clippers and OKC Thunder, two of the best teams in the league.

The Warriors boast of a roster whose average age is 25.2 years old and features four rookies. Logically, they ought to have their worst record this season. They lost Monta Ellis to the Bucks. Andrew Bogut went out with an ankle injury. They lost Brandon Rush with a torn ACL. Rush isn’t a big shot but he averages a career 41.3 % from behind the arc. But what they did was make little additions of veteran players who know their roles and have gelled in perfectly with the Warriors. Carl Landry and Jarret Jack have been instrumental in keeping the ship afloat, vs the Thunder it was Jack who hit a high arcing shot over Durant in the last three minutes to help put the Thunder away 104-99. Carl Landry is averaging 13.2 points per game and 7 rebounds per game. Jarrett Jack is averaging 9.9 points and 4.6 assists per game. “A big difference this year was getting Draymond (Green), Carl and Jarrett,” David Lee said. “That has given us some depth.”

The main reason why the Warriors have been tearing the league apart is because of their point guard, Steph Curry. This season Curry is averaging 20.9 points, 6.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. Last season he only averaged 14.7 points and 5.3 assists. His career average is 18.1 points and 5.9 assists. What he has been doing remarkably well is shooting three pointers at the smallest hints of daylight. Curry is second in 3-pointers made, with 124 and third in 3-point percentage at 45.1. The Warriors are 19-8 when he scores at least 20, compared to 7-7 in games he doesn’t.

“He is an All-Star,” Coach Jackson said before Friday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls. “The thing I talk about is he stands for everything that’s right. If you’re a coach, he’s the one guy you should vote for. I wish coaches had the luxury of watching this guy go about his business every day. I wish coaches had the luxury of watching this guy’s energy, effort, enthusiasm, leadership ability today after being snubbed.”

It starts with the team though. “Last year we talked about playing good defense,” second-year guard Klay Thompson said. “This year we are actually doing it.” Although the Warriors have stepped up the intensity on defense, they are still a team which thrives on offense first. They are 23-5 this season when they score 96 or more.

All this begs the question, how good can they be when Bogut returns? Right now the frontline has been shored up with Festus Ezeli, Jeremy Tyler and Draymond Green. The Warriors are rebounding very well as a team. Last season, they were 11th in offense at 97.8 points per game – and 28th in defense, surrendering 101.2 points. This season they are 10th in defense at 98.9 points and eighth in opponents’ shooting at 43.4 percent. They have climbed from worst to first in defensive rebound percentage (.752) (DRP is the percentage of available defensive rebounds a player/team grabs). They have climbed from worst to fifth in rebound margin (plus-4.2). They have climbed up to 12th in offensive rebounding. This team has actually been rejuvenated by the loss of Ellis, getting into an underdog mentality and has been pushing the charts off with effort on both ends.

And Bogut is yet to return. “I think you can see now in his absence with Festus [Ezeli], Carl [Landry], D. Lee, Andris [Biedrens], when those guys are playing hard, they’re tough and they’re physical and they get it done. For us to have a guy that’s known for fitting that mold [Bogut] who’s out right now, you can only think it makes us that much better.” Curry said.

The Warriors also have the 12th man of the year on their roster. Ronny Turiaf is also something like this. But Bazemore takes it to another level. So much so that #Bazemoring has become a verb and a hashtag.

Their players have been recognized for their stellar play. David Lee made the all star team, but Curry didn’t. Of his omission in the all star team, Curry shrugged it off and said how he appreciated the backing by legends such as Charles Barkley, “That was real fun to watch. Just to see how animated he was and how much of a supporter he was that I should have been there, but I have heard a lot of notable figures come out and supporting the season that I’ve had up until this point, so that does mean a lot. That you have the respect of your peers and some legends that have laced them up, too.”

“I think I got more plug from not making it than if I would have,” Curry said. “I’m sure you could say that, but I’m not really worried about it at all. I was anxious to see what would happen. I was hoping for the best, but we got one guy from our team in there (David Lee), so the Warriors are represented and we still got 41 games to play.”

There is more silver lining for this Warriors squad. Rookie Barnes has been on a roll too. In the Class of 2010, Harrison Barnes was ranked at the top by Scout.com. He is 7th in the league among rookies in scoring with 9.1 points per game. He had 13 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists vs the Clippers. He needs to be more consistent if the Warriors are to make a push in the post-season. Their only all star, David Lee has been making his push, Lee ranks second in the NBA in double-doubles, eighth in rebounds and 12th in scoring with 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds.

There are parallels between the Warriors and how the OKC Thunder have achieved their current status. Both teams played it smart in the draft and added wily veterans to gel the team together. Both lost gunners in Ellis and Harden. And both are tearing the league apart. Besides the Lakers’ attempted formula of getting the best starting five on paper, this is another way to build a winning team. Through smart moves. Now all that remains is awaiting Bogut’s return.