Last year I remember watching Warriors games and either 1) being amazed by Curry ridiculousness like burying 30 foot closely guarded 3's or 2) constantly being on the lookout for some Curry ridiculousness WHICH COULD BUST OUT AT ANY TIME and result in a 16 point swing. This year that feeling is gone - it seems like Steph is doing a lot of what the rest of us are doing, standing around and watching Durant go 1-on-1 particularly towards the end of games. His overall numbers are down too, obviously, and while the Warriors are a formidable peer team, they seem to lack the aura of last year's bunch. The spice is gone.
That's why you shouldn't get the best player of the team that had lost to you. You'd end up getting the losing team's aura.
The Warriors were exposed inside by the Cavs last year after Bogut was hurt. Bigger and more physical teams can punish the Warriors on the break or off rolls to the basket. Getting rid of Bogut and adding Durant did not in anyway fix that issue. The interior in Golden State is not what it was. Also, there is only so much open space on the floor and you can only swing the ball so often. It is more of a two man game type of league than having three players all wanting opening shots on the perimeter. I get why Golden State made the move and they still have the best record in the NBA. However, they haven't been as good this season.
They are still one of the best teams in the league if not the best. But they are beatable this year. The past two years I felt like they wouldn't ever lose a game. This year I feel like teams could beat them
Short answer? Yup. Durant just Adam Banks'd that whole team with Curry being Charlie Conway. Here's something funny about Durant: Harden and Westbrook seem to be doing just fine leading their respective teams by themselves but Durant don't even have the gonads to lead one without another All-star team much less one that won 70+ games last year
I was thinking the same until he drilled back-to-back 3's in one of the OT periods during the Dec 1st game
Agreed, the Warriors are a walking All-star team. But Durant doesn't seem to complement the bunch, as good as he is! The Warriors are probably still the favorite to win the title, but they aren't mowing down teams like they did last year.
I think y'all are just seeing what you want to see. Last year's team was 1st on offense, 5th on defense with a +10.7 net rating, and a 10.38 SRS (schedule adjusted rating). This year's Warriors are 2nd on offense, 1st on defense with a +12.8 net rating, 11.98 SRS and they're still in their adjustment period. This team is ridiculous and better than last year's team.
last year's warriors team was arguably the best nba team ever. some fall off was inevitable, even if they had kept the identical roster. Then you go gut your bench and add a guy who needs (and deserves) tons of touches? this shouldn't surprise anyone.
Could be that. Also could be Kyrie giving the undisputed MVP the "Hakeem vs Robinson" treatment every time they play each other.
Spurs had a higher net rating than the Warriors last year too, but they really didn't come close to setting the wins record.
Spurs had a worse SRS though, meaning they had an easier schedule. And I'm not saying anything about breaking the wins record, I'm just saying people who view this year's Warriors as somehow inferior to last year's is just wrong.
Pretty sure he can turn it on when needed, which has been the case so far. I understand that they don't feel as invincible but that could be because we've beaten them 100% of the times we've played them this season. I've read on other message boards that he is playing better defense too, but I have no idea if that's accurate. Also could be that the team knows how to play with Curry as lead, so they are testing out what's possible with Durant taking the reigns (reins?). I think they're also weary of the narrative that was pushed last season - going for the regular season record may have compromised their ability to win the ring. I don't buy into that so much, but maybe they do. IMO they're a better playoff team than they were. Their halfcourt game looks better than it was.
Their point differential is higher than it was last year. Given that they have more losses, it means that when they do win, they are destroying teams by much more than last year. I think last year, once they got to 15-0 or 20-0 or whatever, they were on a mission to prove all the doubters from the previous year wrong, and to do historic things. This year, I don't think they really care about that. It's like the Bulls teams after the 72 win team - the regular season is just biding timing until the playoffs (and in the Warriors case, learning to play with some new key players like Durant). While they still want to win on a daily basis, I don't think they care nearly as much. It might have been different if they started out 20-0 again and had a chance at 74 wins.
This is so weird. When players want to be *the* star and try to carry their teams, people say they are selfish and don't care about winning/etc (see Carmelo, staying in NY, or Bosh after he said no to the Rockets). And if you go to play with other great players, you're called a loser for not wanting to carry your own team. It seems like if people want to be butthurt, they will find whatever justification they can. I don't think Durant - or Westbrook or Harden or Melo or any of the others - care one bit about what random fans think of them.
They had a complete team that was dangerous and loaded the past two years. They complimented each other and had enough scoring. Adding durant, they are still great but they have gotten weaker on defense and off the bench.
