At the start of the season, the Golden State Warriors did not look like the dominant star-studded team everyone had predicted they would be. They came off a record-breaking 24-0 start last season and signed Durant to a two year $54.3 million deal in the off-season, according to Sports Illustrated. However, the Warriors lost their season opener to the Spurs, suffering a convincing 129-100 defeat. Though Durant and Curry scored 27 and 26 points respectively, the duo looked out of sync. They did not receive much help; Klay Thompson managed a sub-par 11 points on 5 of 13 shooting. In all, the team committed 16 turnovers and was out-rebounded 55-35, according to nj.com. On the other hand, the Spurs looked like a team that had hit midseason stride. San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard put up a career-high 35 points and LaMarcus Aldridge contributed 26 points and 14 rebounds. The Spurs even received help from the bench; Jonathon Simmons, a second year free agent, posted a career-high 20 points, according to mercurynews.com.
The blowout took everyone by surprise, including Warrior’s coach Steve Kerr who, according to nj.com, stated “I didn’t see losing by 29 points … I think our guys were embarrassed tonight. I know I was.” Still, the team was poised to sharpen its play. Durant mentioned that the loss “was a slap in the face. [It] woke us up a bit,” according to mercurynews.com. However, when the Warriors lost again, this time to the Lakers, fans and analysts started to question whether a team filled with so much talent would be able to achieve success. Fortunately, since a shaky 4-2 start, the Warriors have pulled off 12 consecutive wins and have dispelled any doubt about their dominance. With the season approaching the quarter mark, the Warriors are on pace to tie their record 73 wins from last season, according to Fox Sports. The team statistically has the best offense in the league, averaging 117 points for every 100 possessions. The only other team close to that mark is the 1987-88 Lakers that averaged 115.6 points per 100 possessions (Fox Sports). Lastly, the team’s lineup of sharpshooters is hitting 52 percent of shots from the floor and 43 percent from behind the arc, according to SB Nation. It is now only a question of whether the Warriors can deliver a championship.
