Are the Warriors contenders?

[EliteSmarts]

10-15 games after Klay returns will be a better time to ask.

So you think the Warriors are going to get alot worse with Klay on the floor? If they are contenders now which they are having win 10 of their last 15 last year, going 5-0 in the preseason and 10-1 to start the season. And they aren't just winning they are blowing teams out. Yes they haven't had the toughest schedule but we've seen teams with the same schedule do a lot, lot worse. More to the point the Warriors have championship DNA to rely on something most teams don't have. If the Warriors are like 40-5 are we still going to be asking if they are contenders?

I doubt any team in the league will finish within 5 games of the Warriors 60+ wins this year.

I think the Warriors will be worse with Clay when he comes back in the short term because clay has not played in 2 years so the chemistry will be off for about let's say 5 to 15 games but obviously in the playoffs, Klay Thompson will be a very important for the Warriors and make the Warriors better contenders with him on the court than off it!

[EliteSmarts]

Yep that's so unfair. It's when everybody were saying Klay & Green were bums but they win the chip then all of sudden Curry had too much help. Gotta love it. Can't make this stuff up.

Now Curry has Klay, Dray, Wiggins, GPII, Poole, etc, etc. Too much talent. Hand hat man the chip NOW!

Remember when everybody said Wiggins suck and nobody wanted him. Wiggins is a classic example of what happens when you play with a superstar who is empowering and not demeaning. But I will let haters carry on as they are clueless.

We always gave Tim Duncan so much credit just for the way he carried himself as a "superstar". Always putting the team before himself. It's time we give Curry that same respect.

It's really crazy how so many players remade or revitalized their careers playing for the Warriors. Obviously says a lot about Curry but also their system.

I’d use the word “culture” instead of “system” here at this point. Granted the two are intimately connected, but so often we think about a basketball system as something that is about Xs and Os, and the human element here is just huge.

I can’t help but think of Ted Lasso, which of course is no coincidence.

If this continues Kerr is my runaway pick for COY, with Curry, Green, and Iguodala almost deserving to share it with him.

It’s absolutely the most positive thing I see in the NBA right now, and I think it’s clear at this point that the Warriors are going to be a serious threat for the foreseeable future.


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Gotta give major credit to Joe Lacob. As with any great franchise, it starts with owner. He has helped create this fantastic culture the Warriors have.

You and anyone else remember the comments he made in 2016, being light years ahead? And how a lot of people clowned him for the comment


"We're light years ahead of probably every other team in structure, in planning, in how we're going to go about things," Warriors owner Joe Lacob told the New York Times in 2016, when the Warriors were cruising toward an NBA record 73 wins. "We're going to be a handful for the rest of the NBA to deal with for a long time.”

They had couple down years due to their 2nd best player who was important key to their team being out for past 2 years. In those 2 years they have retool the Warriors into 3rd era of the greatness. (2015-16 Pre KD Era, 2017-18 KD Era and now it's back to their roots of Curry Klay Draymond era with more youth.)

This is fantastic job by the Golden State Warriors !

[Silvie Lysandra]

I'd thought they'd be doing this *after* Klay reacclimated back to the team, not before. God damn.

[Wolfgang630]

The Warriors are basically the new Spurs. Gonna carry this high pedigree for probably another half decade.

[PurpleGreenGold]

They’ve played 8 home games in a row. And 9 out of 12 overall at home. Call me crazy, but being able to sleep in your own bed every night for over two weeks sure can help you find a groove and rhythm that everyone else isn’t privy too. Let me see how they fare on a 4 game in 7 night East coast road trip, and I can give you a better answer.

[Catchall]

I need to see them play some of the better teams, like Milwaukee, Brooklyn, Denver (healthyish), Phoenix and Utah.

However, the Warriors seem to have improved their depth, which was a real problem with last year's 8th-seed team. Additions like Bjelica, OPJ and bringing back Iggy have helped.

[DubTheVanDamage]

They’ve played 8 home games in a row. And 9 out of 12 overall at home. Call me crazy, but being able to sleep in your own bed every night for over two weeks sure can help you find a groove and rhythm that everyone else isn’t privy too. Let me see how they fare on a 4 game in 7 night East coast road trip, and I can give you a better answer.

It's fair to say that their schedule has been incredibly favorable. It's also fair to say that 12 games doesn't prove anything -- plenty of average teams have stretches where they look unbeatable.

But this Warriors team is playing with passion, selflessness and absolute joy. They have a former MVP playing at an MVP level. They have a former DPOY playing at a DPOY level. They are a former NBA champion playing at an NBA champion level. They are, right now, playing head and shoulders above the rest of the league.

Obviously, it won't always be like this -- so, you're right, you'll know more later. And the team playing best at the start of the season often isn't the team that plays best at the end. So, I have no idea if they'll win the championship or even the conference.

It's too early to say they are title favorites but, it seems to me, pretty crazy to say they're not at least contenders. This thread is aging in dog years.

[Ice Trae]

Pharmcat seething in rage and foaming at the mouth seeing Curry being the MVP favorite rn

[Warriorfan]

Warriors have had lots of home cooking but defense usually travels well and they currently #1. Top 5 offense with ability improve if Curry shoots his normal rate, Klay returns, rookies develop, 5 new players gel even better and most importantly Curry stays healthy

[Lalouie]

lakers old and hurt and no shooting

clippers no kawhi

denver no murray or porter

portland same ole same ole

utah who knows

so i guess gsw is a contender

[giannis and 1]

They are 11-1 with arguably the best player on the planet, and are about to get a perennial all star back. What do you think?

[BoatsNZones]

Just saw this stat from Ben Taylor: The Warriors have a +8.8 win differential... in the 3rd quarter. That's better than any other team in the league has period (they are also + in every other quarter).

[NyKnicks1714]

They might be favorites

[Doctor MJ]

I'd thought they'd be doing this *after* Klay reacclimated back to the team, not before. God damn.

Yeah, I still find it hard to imagine them winning a title unless Klay comes back and his great...but the reality is that in this small (mostly at home) sample size they've been the best team in the league and I cannot say I saw that coming.

[dodongo]

This defense is friggin amazing!

[floppymoose]

Next 26 games the schedule is tougher (that's how it works when you have an easy schedule, it eventually becomes a tough schedule). The games are mostly on the road and mostly against winning teams. If they can get through that stretch at 13-13 (for 24-14 record overall) I think they will be well positioned to have home court in the first round if their health is decent. If they are more like 16-10 on that stretch then I think they will have established themselves as a contender.

[Raonak]

They are the team to beat.

[svart]

They are 11-1 with arguably the best player on the planet, and are about to get a perennial all star back. What do you think?

I think is too soon.


But the signs are good

[PhilBlackson]

I'll be rooting for them or DEN to come out of the West.

[Warriorfan]

lakers old and hurt and no shooting

clippers no kawhi

denver no murray or porter

portland same ole same ole

utah who knows

so i guess gsw is a contender

Better teams are in the East for once.

PHX even if CP3 doesn't wear down is due for a letdown because much broke their way