“We have a target on our back being the defending champions…So we feel pressure a little bit” – NBA champion admits being under pressure for defending their title, says team chemistry and talent is key to win
After a brief stint at the bottom of the standings, the Golden State Warriors were back in the NBA Finals last season. Led by an incredible run from Stephen Curry, they were able to overcome the Boston Celtics and cement themselves in NBA history as a dynasty.
While their core is getting up there in age, the Warriors have made the necessary moves to extend their window of contention. During their two years out of the title picture, they collected a plethora of young prospects with good potential. One of them being Jordan Poole, who burst onto the scene in a big way last season.
Following their climb to the NBA mountaintop last year, Poole understands teams will be looking to take down the Warriors moving forward. However, the young guard is confident that the team's chemistry will be able to help get them past any obstacles that might get in their way.
"Definitely feel like as if we have a target on our back being the defending champions and being the best team in the league last year and bringing our team back which is pretty much the same."
"We have enough chemistry with our team to just kind of play our game and then we know how talented we are and how connected we are."
Can the Golden State Warriors make their way back to the NBA Finals in 2023?
After securing another championship last season, the Warriors will be far from satisfied moving forward. They will enter the year with a similar type of hunger as they attempt to cement themselves as arguably the greatest core ever.
While Golden State might want to get back to finals, the question is if it's actually possible. The Western Conference is stacked with teams ready to contend and take them down.
One thing the Warriors do have going for them is a good mix of youth and experience. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green understand what it takes to win at the highest level. Meanwhile, there are a bunch of young guys behind them still looking to prove themselves.
With players like Poole showing star-level potential, Golden State has the pieces to be a top team in the NBA for years to come. It's rare for an organization to be able to contend and rebuild at the same time.
Despite multiple teams eyeing a top spot in the West, the Warriors certainly have the talent to add another finals appearance to their resume.