"I'm picking Golden State Warriors to win the championship" - Stephen A. Smith makes it clear who his favorites are for the 2021-22 NBA season
The Golden State Warriors have started out the 2021-22 NBA season firing on all cylinders. The team currently finds itself with a 6-1 record, including a two-game winning streak heading into tonight's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. What's even more impressive about the Warriors is the fact that some reinforcements are on their way. Key rotational assets such as James Wiseman, Klay Thompson and even Jonathan Kuminga have yet to make their long-awaited return to the basketball court.
The basketball world has been buzzing about this team, and some are even wondering if this Golden State team could be the one to beat in the Western Conference. Speaking today on First Take, analyst Stephen A. Smith went on to say that he believes the Warriors will go on to win the championship this year.
"It is official, I'm picking the Golden State Warriors to win the championship."
"It is official, I'm picking the Golden State Warriors to win the championship."
—@stephenasmith https://t.co/5esLjQBv3P
Stephen A. Smith continued to go into depth about why he believes the Warriors have the current pieces on their roster to compete for a championship this year.
"I'm a huge fan of Jordan Poole, Damion Lee...Steve Kerr is just doing a fabulous job and this coaching staff. If Klay Thompson is back, they are winning the championship."
There's no doubt that the Warriors have been one of the most impressive teams in the opening month of the regular season. Stephen Curry has continued to look like his old self as he's currently averaging 26.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. But Curry hasn't been as dominant as before. He's shooting just 37.4% from beyond the arc, which makes the Warriors' strong start even more impressive. The obvious question on the horizon is how impactful will fellow splash brother Klay Thompson be once he returns. After missing the last couple of years with a number of season-ending injuries, expectations for Thompson are going to have to be realistic as he tries to get some of the rust off. But this Warriors team could be much closer to a realistic title contender than some might think.
The team has found outstanding value with a number of their young rotation pieces. Jordan Poole has started to become one of the most promising bench assets in the entire league. Andre Iguodala continues to look like the Iguodala that spent so many years previously with the organization. Even journeyman Gary Payton II has become a crucial part of the team's rotation moving forward. The Warriors are now awaiting the return of last year's second overall selection James Wiseman, who should be ready to roam the middle of the paint for the team. A suddenly dangerous Golden State team is about to get even deeper and the eventual return of Klay Thompson could just become the icing on top of the cake.