Expectations have not been met by the Golden State Warriors thus far during the NBA All-Star break. With a 27-26 record, the squad is ranked 10th in the Western Conference.
The Warriors have struggled to win games in a row and have shown an alarming propensity to throw game leads away. But as the All-Star break drew near, Golden State began to exhibit encouraging signs of development.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith selects the Warriors as his favorite to win the title in spite of the ups and downs. He enumerated several factors, citing Jonathan Kuminga’s better play and Stephen Curry’s status as the best shooter in NBA history.
“Steph Curry is still the greatest shooter God ever created,” Smith said. “Jonathan Kuminga has elevated his level of play. His 3-point shooting, his field goal percentage. He gets it now. And his athleticism is off the charts. Draymond Green has upped the ante. Defensively, they’ve really stepped up. Klay Thompson comes off the bench for the first time and drops 35. If Klay Thompson finds his shot again, with Steph Curry playing the way he is, and those brothas’ shooting the way they shoot, it changes everything.”
It is much anticipated that Paul will recover from his injuries. Thompson’s transition to a bench position may be advantageous. Pros like Curry and Green don’t appear to be getting any older.
In addition, the youthful energy of Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and Jonathan Kuminga gives the team the vigor and resolve it needs to compete at the highest levels.
The Warriors’ attention will probably turn to creating a winning culture and creating positive momentum as the season draws to a close. If all of the team’s parts work together well, they might be a very tough opponent in the postseason.
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