The Golden State Warriors won the 2015 NBA Championship. Now the defending champs, every team in the NBA is after them. In Steve Kerr’s first season as head coach, he led the Warriors to an NBA best in points, assists, and three-point shooting percentage, while giving up the lowest field-goal percentage per game, per ESPN.com. They will look to continue that this season.
Unfortunately, the Warriors are going to start the season without Coach Kerr. He had back surgery in the offseason and is still recovering. Luke Walton is the interim head coach to start the season.
With or without Kerr on the sidelines, the Warriors are ready to repeat. They have looked slow this preseason, but the Warriors have the depth and star power to stay a top the West. Their sites are on another NBA Championship.
What can the fans look forward to?
Fans can look forward to watching the best team in basketball. Even with the rise in the Clippers, Rockets, Spurs, and Thunder, the Warriors are still the best team in the NBA when healthy. They are loaded with fantastic players and coaches, and everyone is on the same page. David Lee was the only rotational player who is now on a different team.
The Warriors will look to start the season strong for Steve Kerr. His back will recover win or lose, but a win lowers his stress levels and pressure to return too early. The real improvements will be noticed when Kerr is back. We at Basketball Society hope for a safe and speedy recovery.
Projected starting lineup:
PG- Stephen Curry
SG- Klay Thompson
SF- Harrison Barnes
PF- Draymond Green
C- Andrew Bogut
Who can emerge as a star?
This is Harrison Barnes’ season to emerge as a star. He turned down a 4yr/$64 million deal by the Warriors because he thinks he is worth more with the rise in salary cap. Barnes needs to make a major leap to earn that money.
Barnes shined with head coach Steve Kerr, and another season in his system will only do good things. He can shoot threes, nail mid-range jumpers, and can score in one-on-one situations. Defensively, he can cover three positions. His versatility is key for the Warriors. They would be smart to try and extend Barnes before the Halloween rookie extension deadline.
What will be their final record?
64-18
