NBA 18/19: 3 best performing Warriors players of the season so far
The Golden State Warriors came into the 18/19 season as the heavy favorites to win a third straight NBA Championship. The team has been the league's dominant force for the best part of five years, and the Warriors were able to get even better during the offseason. The team pulled off a stunning move for All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, and this means that the Warriors now have an entire starting five of All-Stars.
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Despite the high expectations entering the season, a number of injuries have resulted in an 18-9 start, which is poor when compared to the Warriors recent records. Incredibly, the team still tops the Western Conference standings, and with the NBA season now well under way, here are the best-performing Warriors of the season so far.
#3 Damian Jones
Damian Jones has not set the league on fire this season, although he has offered a steady contribution in the absence of DeMarcus Cousins and Draymond Green. The 23-year-old had never started an NBA league game coming into the 18/19 season, although Steve Kerr has opted to start the center 23 times so far this season.
Jones has tripled his play time from last season, and in his 17.1 minutes per game, the center is averaging 5.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks. His field goal percentage of .716 has been especially impressive, although the big man still shows no signs of developing a perimeter shot.
The Warriors have had to contend for low draft picks in recent years, and Jones himself was the 30th pick in the 2016 draft. Due to the contracts of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson, the Warriors simply can't afford a deep roster, so the role that Jones has played this season shouldn't be underestimated.