I'm looking for a little info on your team

[Onus]

The Dubs literally had their top 3 centers (Bogut, Ezeli, O'Neal) out that game and still gave the Clippers a run for their money.

So no, defense isn't a concern for the Warriors. People still think the Warriors are some type of Nellieball small ball team.

The reason why offense is important for next season is because despite having an array of shooters, scorers and facilitators, the Warriors were only 12th in the league on offense. Under Mark Jackson's system, the Warriors constantly had times where they struggled scoring and were also too predictable for opposing defenses.

Defense is a concern. At least at the big positions. As you mentioned our top 3 centers were out last year. That's a likely scenario again this coming year. Bogut is always an injury concern, Ezeli hasn't played basketball in a year and before that had only played basketball for a few years total. O'neal will most likely retire and we have Kuzmic. Lee can suffice at center offensively most of the time unless he's going up against an elite shot blocker like Jordan and then he completely disappears.

So Center depth should be a concern.

People think we're still a nellieball team because game 7 against the clippers we were playing harrison barnes and draymond green at the big positions down the stretch. The whole series each game the clippers won was because Jordan was dominating the paint. He was the first center in the modern nba to get 18+ reb and 4+ blks in 3 or 4 games in a 7 game series. Our bigs got killed defensively.

I agree with you that offensively we had a problem as well. I just don't agree that center depth / defense isn't an issue. Also Jordan Crawford was huge in game 7. He was our only reliable scorer on the bench and we still ddint resolve that issue this offseason.

It seems like the FOC is really banking on Kerr's ability to single-handedly improve the offense without bringing in anyone that can help take the scoring load off of Curry.

[Steph 4 3]

The reason why offense is important for next season is because despite having an array of shooters, scorers and facilitators, the Warriors were only 12th in the league on offense. Under Mark Jackson's system, the Warriors constantly had times where they struggled scoring and were also too predictable for opposing defenses.

The new coaches will have their own approach on offense.
By mid season they will know what they have, the good fits, the bad fits, the facts needed for upgrades, tweaks, trades, additions, ...to playbook as well as players.

Defense is a concern. At least at the big positions. As you mentioned our top 3 centers were out last year. That's a likely scenario again this coming year. Bogut is always an injury concern

No one is calling me up for advice but Bogut's priority is closing games. Play B in the first 3/4s to get his head in the game and the body warmed up. Maybe start games with Bogut then switch to best fit: Lee or Ezeli.

Ezeli hasn't played basketball in a year and before that had only played basketball for a few years total. O'neal will most likely retire and we have Kuzmic. Lee can suffice at center offensively most of the time unless he's going up against an elite shot blocker like Jordan and then he completely disappears.

Yes. Ezeli? Who knows? Give B & Lee the lion's share of minutesat center and see what Ezeli can do inbetween, small bites?
Lee can pad points playing center in most games so give him 20+ minutes by season average.
Side benefit is more time @ foward to improve Speights, Green, Barnes, ...less pressure on Iggy. All good.

People think we're still a nellieball team because game 7 against the clippers we were playing harrison barnes and draymond green at the big positions down the stretch. The whole series each game the clippers won was because Jordan was dominating the paint. He was the first center in the modern nba to get 18+ reb and 4+ blks in 3 or 4 games in a 7 game series. Our bigs got killed defensively.

First game vs Clips DeAndre may be wishing for those good ole days.

It seems like the FOC is really banking on Kerr's ability to single-handedly improve the offense without bringing in anyone that can help take the scoring load off of Curry.

I think it is more just seeing who fits well and who does not. (New coaches + system tweaks)
Upgrades are applied forever when done right.

[Onus]

To be fair ... i do think a new offensive system by itself will increase our offensive efficiency

[Flash Falcon X]

The Dubs literally had their top 3 centers (Bogut, Ezeli, O'Neal) out that game and still gave the Clippers a run for their money.

So no, defense isn't a concern for the Warriors. People still think the Warriors are some type of Nellieball small ball team.

The reason why offense is important for next season is because despite having an array of shooters, scorers and facilitators, the Warriors were only 12th in the league on offense. Under Mark Jackson's system, the Warriors constantly had times where they struggled scoring and were also too predictable for opposing defenses.

Defense is a concern. At least at the big positions. As you mentioned our top 3 centers were out last year. That's a likely scenario again this coming year. Bogut is always an injury concern, Ezeli hasn't played basketball in a year and before that had only played basketball for a few years total. O'neal will most likely retire and we have Kuzmic. Lee can suffice at center offensively most of the time unless he's going up against an elite shot blocker like Jordan and then he completely disappears.

So Center depth should be a concern.

People think we're still a nellieball team because game 7 against the clippers we were playing harrison barnes and draymond green at the big positions down the stretch. The whole series each game the clippers won was because Jordan was dominating the paint. He was the first center in the modern nba to get 18+ reb and 4+ blks in 3 or 4 games in a 7 game series. Our bigs got killed defensively.

I agree with you that offensively we had a problem as well. I just don't agree that center depth / defense isn't an issue. Also Jordan Crawford was huge in game 7. He was our only reliable scorer on the bench and we still ddint resolve that issue this offseason.

It seems like the FOC is really banking on Kerr's ability to single-handedly improve the offense without bringing in anyone that can help take the scoring load off of Curry.

Defense is a concern if Bogut can't stay healthy, but Bogut has been fairly healthy other than freak injuries.

Bogut was healthy the whole season until LaMarcus Aldridge blatantly rammed into his ribs in that road game @ Portland. You slam your entire body like that into anyone's ribs and it will injure them. To literally add insult to injury, the refs even called a foul on Bogut during that play even though all he did was put his arms up. LaMarcus Aldridge slamming his entire body full force into a player's ribs should be an obvious offense foul (charge).

So yeah, there's concern that Bogut needs to be healthy, but overall he's been fine other than freak injuries throughout the year. If he's healthy, obviously the team needs to still focus on defense, but their defense is already set -- they have a great perimeter defender in Klay Thompson; a defensive anchor / rim protector in Andrew Bogut, a feisty and energetic defender off the bench in Draymond Green; a long and tall defender in Shaun Livingston off the bench as well; a decent 3 & D guy in Brandon Rush, a big active body to throw at you in Festus Ezeli when he gets back, also we have a super athletic defender in Andre Igoudala who's on the ALL-NBA DEFENSIVE 1st TEAM.

So yeah, defense is important, I'm just saying it's pretty much set. It's not like we're horrifyingly lacking players in that department. I agree we do need a backup big as insurance, but even without one I doubt Bogut will get into any other freak injuries.

People think we're still a nellieball team because game 7 against the clippers we were playing harrison barnes and draymond green at the big positions down the stretch.

They played Barnes and Draymond at the big man positions because our Top 3 centers were all out, bro. It's not like they had a choice.

What I mean about people still thinking we're a Nellieball team is because they assume that with all the shooters and scorers on the team like Curry, Klay and Lee, they assume the Warriors are probably a Top 3 offensive scoring team and probably don't even put any focus on defense since they loooooove to shoot all the time.

No, it's not the Nellieball people are for some reason still accustomed to. Warriors are actually on the flipside of that. They're an elite defensive team, but need to improve their offense. Warriors just needed a bench boost, they got one in Blake/Crawford which got them the 5th best record since the All-Star break, but then they took another hit when Aldridge broke Bogut's ribs. At least now we have a much better bench replacement for Blake/Jordan in Livingston/Rush to join Green and Barnes.

The whole series each game the clippers won was because Jordan was dominating the paint. He was the first center in the modern nba to get 18+ reb and 4+ blks in 3 or 4 games in a 7 game series. Our bigs got killed defensively.

Andrew Bogut was out, bro, and the Warriors still took the Clippers to 7 games. Clippers should have actually swept the Warriors with their Blake/DeAndre frontline against a Bogut-less Warriors team. Doc is overrated.

Like really? DeAndre did good when Bogut wasn't playing? What a shocker.

It seems like the FOC is really banking on Kerr's ability to single-handedly improve the offense without bringing in anyone that can help take the scoring load off of Curry.

To reiterate myself, the Warriors racked up the 5th best record in the entire NBA since the All-Star break, which coincides to when they traded for Steve Blake which boosted their horrible bench from 29th in the league to 12th in the league. The offense already improved by then, but freak injuries hit the team by Playoff time.

That's my point.

The Warriors already had one of the best starting fives in the league.

They just needed a better bench.

They improved their bench.

They got the 5th best record in the league when they improved their bench.

Voila.

But then.

Bogut got injured...

... which ended the Warriors season.

People assume the Warriors were some underwhelming, crappy team, when they were actually playing well under the radar for the last half of the season. And like I said, if Steve Blake can elevate the team, then for sure a much better PG in Shaun Livingston will be able to either maintain or improve that production while also adding defense to that backup position as well as a versatile offensive tool with his post game.

Also, Brandon Rush is a highly underrated pickup. Great shooter off the bench.

Unless Steve Kerr continues those horrible hockey style substitutions with the Warriors, then I don't see their bench production getting worse. Seeing Mark Jackson have his team down by 10 at the end of the 1st quarter against the Clippers and then starting the 2nd quarter with all bench players still makes me cringe.

Saying that I'm "banking" on a better offense and for Steve Kerr to "single handedly" improve the offense makes it sound as if I'm asking for the moon right now. It's not banking if it's already basically a given as long as our key guys don't miss a significant amount of games.

- We already have one of the best starting 5s in the league when it comes to offense.
- We just improved our already improved bench by adding Livingston and Rush for more punch.
- I doubt Kerr will use hockey style substitutions.

A better offense next season isn't really much of a reach or gamble. Going from 12th to Top 5 would be a huge jump, but the Warriors are already in position to make that leap. It's not like the team has to make mind blowing adjustments to improve their offense.

[Onus]

I don't even know when the last time Bogut ended a season healthy ... freak accidents or not he's rarely available by the end of the season.

My point is that we need big man depth, Bogut is injury prone, Ezeli is coming off an ACL surgery where he didn't play a whole year, who was already lacking in experience, Lee is apparently injury prone now as well, and Jermaine O'neal is basically retired. This is what we're relying on ... To me it seems like we should've added another big.

I think Kerr's offense will help our offensive efficiency but we didn't add any scoring power to our team. Teams in the playoffs will still double curry and force someone else to beat them without any consequence. We still need scoring on the bench, someone who can create their own shot and get hot. livingston and BRush aren't that type of player.

[ChuckDurn]

I don't even know when the last time Bogut ended a season healthy ... freak accidents or not he's rarely available by the end of the season.

My point is that we need big man depth, Bogut is injury prone, Ezeli is coming off an ACL surgery where he didn't play a whole year, who was already lacking in experience, Lee is apparently injury prone now as well, and Jermaine O'neal is basically retired. This is what we're relying on ... To me it seems like we should've added another big.

I think Kerr's offense will help our offensive efficiency but we didn't add any scoring power to our team. Teams in the playoffs will still double curry and force someone else to beat them without any consequence. We still need scoring on the bench, someone who can create their own shot and get hot. livingston and BRush aren't that type of player.

I agree..... we need to add big man depth, and I'm pretty confident that we still will do so. The off-season isn't over, and if we cut Armstrong (whose contract isn't guaranteed), we only have 13 players on our roster.

While we may not have added dynamic individual scorers to the bench, I think that Green is going to continue to improve and Livingston will bring stability and playmaking which will help everybody. And pretty clearly we're going to have more ball movement and player movement which should free everybody up for better looks and more open shots.

Plus, I'd be stunned if Iguodala averages under 10 ppg this year. His offense was completely scuttled in Jackson's system, let's not sleep on the fact that he can still be a very effective offensive player.

[Coxy]

I don't even know when the last time Bogut ended a season healthy ... freak accidents or not he's rarely available by the end of the season.

The term should be "Accident prone". I'm still shaking my head at that broken rib.

[giberish]

I don't even know when the last time Bogut ended a season healthy ... freak accidents or not he's rarely available by the end of the season.

My point is that we need big man depth, Bogut is injury prone, Ezeli is coming off an ACL surgery where he didn't play a whole year, who was already lacking in experience, Lee is apparently injury prone now as well, and Jermaine O'neal is basically retired. This is what we're relying on ... To me it seems like we should've added another big.

I think Kerr's offense will help our offensive efficiency but we didn't add any scoring power to our team. Teams in the playoffs will still double curry and force someone else to beat them without any consequence. We still need scoring on the bench, someone who can create their own shot and get hot. livingston and BRush aren't that type of player.

I agree. If the team wasn't serious about a Love deal, then they had 3 offseason needs. Backup PG, bench offense-creator (the starting 5 has enough offense, but you need someone off the bench as well), and an extra rotation big (so you're not forced into Nellie-ball when - and it is when - Bogut gets injured). They only addressed one of the three.

What really worries me is that they appear to think that Mo Speights is a quality rotation big (in spite of his entire NBA career), and that Harrison Barnes can run as a 1st (or at least 2nd) offense creating option off of the bench. Both decisions show some serious player-evaluation flaws.

[old rem]

To be fair ... i do think a new offensive system by itself will increase our offensive efficiency

i do hope so.. but we don't know. We might be a bit better on offense.. lose ground on D. Who knows at this stage?

SF.....nobody averaged 10 ppg...at a position where you expect scoring. That should get resolved. C durability is a concern. Speights and Lee have done smallball C...Kuzmic has potential, O'Neal or Armstrong could return but GSW might get another guy.

Backcourt... Livingston + Rush can be good but still no big upgrade over Crawford + Blake. I look at Curry, Klay, Barnes, Dray Green as young guys who will tend to improve. That can be a solid +++.

Meanwhile there's still some chance of a K Love deal. If we botch iit.. overpay.. it ain't good.

[usedtoknowhim]

completely disgree about livingston/rush. livingston by himself is a huge improvement over blake/crawford alone... he will be huge for us, just like he was for brooklyn, where i happen to live. i caught a lot of their games and he was instrumental to their success.

[Mylie10]

Yeah not sure how Rem think that Livingston isn't a huge upgrade on Crawford and Blake. He's 6'7" for ******* sake! Plus his handle is off the charts and really smart.

As much as I appreciated what Blake brought here for a short stint...he did nothing for us in the Playoffs. And Crawford just doesn't fit what's trying to be done here. He's a shoot first gunner. He made strides in Boston, but overall he's a kid who just doesn't understand team basketball. He's a gifted play ground scorer. He takes horrid shots.

If Rush is anywhere near what he was prior to the injury, then that in itself is a huge homerun for our bench.

I would also expect Barnes to be better than last year based on wayyyyy less iso basketball from him.

[old rem]

completely disgree about livingston/rush. livingston by himself is a huge improvement over blake/crawford alone... he will be huge for us, just like he was for brooklyn, where i happen to live. i caught a lot of their games and he was instrumental to their success.

Livingston has had potential and hype for a long while but aside from last year.. never was a factor. Can he stay healthy/ Can he make progress? Is he as versatile as hoped? Rush... joins the crowd of injury worries. I LIKED him here before but there's damn near half this roster now with injury worries.

What's with the hate for Speights? What do you expect from a guy paid backup $, asked to fill 2 positions as a big with some shooting? He started poorly but became very useful. Iggy worries me. His production, his numbers have declines for about 6 yr in a row. He got credit as an All Defense guy.. but that's an award where if you got the reputation ..you can decline a lot and for a few years still get the votes. We had only 3 guys score 10+. None of the SF's scored with consistancy. Our top C guys rarely ever have been healthy at the same time. That said.. I CAN see us having a better year. It's a rather young team and for a change..we did not flip half the roster. We DID replace coaches and Kerr has no track record.. could totally suck.

We need HEALTHY players. Kerr has to be a solid coach...from the get go. A SF has to step up..score points.
Love stories? Some have sad ends and we'll see how this goes. I do NOT want to get obsessed and get screwed.
Love CAN be a big +...or we can overpay and be a team with no balance.. weak on D.

[usedtoknowhim]

my guess is that rem didnt watch him play a single game last year, and that's ok. im usually skeptical myself, but sl proved to me last year that he is a cerebral player with a lot of skill. in his case more than making up for some of what he lost in athleticism. on top of that he's a great fit.

anyway, i agree with a few of his other point re love. it's a risk as well and depending on the price it becomes riskier. good thing is it looks like we are out of the sweepstakes. bad news is klay now has to have a monster season. he NEEDS to be an allstar. he has to put up good games consistently.

[bakesale]

Jury's out on coaching. Projections have us at 55 wins, toss in injuries and Kerr's growing pains and 52 wins is a reasonable estimate (unless we get Love this year). As always, this team can do damage in the playoffs if a lot of things go right.

What's going on? I agree with you again.

[HiRez]

Unless Steve Kerr continues those horrible hockey style substitutions with the Warriors, then I don't see their bench production getting worse.

Heck, even if Kerr did use the hockey substitutions (which he won't), our bench would be significantly better. We had garbage last year. Livingston can set up an offense and penetrate, Rush gives them outside shooting, and both can provide decent perimeter D. Ezeli provides legit C size and rim protection (we'll see how long it takes him to work the rust off though). Barnes will have less pressure to do it all himself and will be better utilized as a slasher with a lot fewer isos and I wouldn't mind seeing some pick and roll action with Barnes and Livingston. Add to that the fact that Green really stepped up his game throughout last season and he's almost always a plus no matter who he's playing with.

Would like to see a scoring PF/C added to give them some more options as an Ezeli/Green frontline isn't going to be doing much scoring. Maybe that's JO? Not sure what he has left in the tank but he definitely had some big games for us last year...when healthy, obviously.

Anyway, still far from the best bench in the league, but it's approaching adequate. If they can just hold it down while the starters get some rest, that's all we need from them and I think they can provide that. I don't think he will see many of those brutal 18-2 type runs that we saw so often with the bench last year that just buried the team. Oh yeah, Kerr will probably also not save all his timeouts to trade them in for free drinks at the bar after the game, or whatever it is Jackson was saving them for.

[old rem]

Yeah not sure how Rem think that Livingston isn't a huge upgrade on Crawford and Blake. He's 6'7" for ******* sake! Plus his handle is off the charts and really smart.

As much as I appreciated what Blake brought here for a short stint...he did nothing for us in the Playoffs. And Crawford just doesn't fit what's trying to be done here. He's a shoot first gunner. He made strides in Boston, but overall he's a kid who just doesn't understand team basketball. He's a gifted play ground scorer. He takes horrid shots.

If Rush is anywhere near what he was prior to the injury, then that in itself is a huge homerun for our bench.

I would also expect Barnes to be better than last year based on wayyyyy less iso basketball from him.

I'd hope Livingston is all we hope.. but Blake was a classic "old School" PG...solid handled. Craw was not a % scorer..could get hot. Livingston has yet to be solid. He can be a big plus..but his history is variable. If Rush matches what he was when on GSW..SWEET. He was good then...is cheaper now. Barnes? I think there's a big range of whatever. The UPSIDE remains very nice --yet the results were not that big.