For the second consecutive year, the Golden State Warriors have two overlapping identities. They could win another NBA title because of all the championship equity they built with their stars, continuity and culture. They could flame out in the NBA playoffs amid significant absences and mixed progress with their young players.
Which identity will best describe the current Warriors? Can they win consecutive NBA titles and their fifth in nine years because they still have a generational talent (Stephen Curry), an elite shooter (Klay Thompson), an elite defender (Draymond Green) and an elite coach (Steve Kerr)? Or will they experience an early playoff exit amid Andrew Wiggins’ possible rust, Jordan Poole’s erratic play and the team’s inconsistent defense?
Oh, Golden State will stay interesting. But when the sixth-seeded Warriors (44-38) play the No. 3 Sacramento Kings (48-34) in a first-round series beginning on Saturday (8:30 pm ET, ABC), they will not only face potential turbulence against a hostile road crowd, but also a proven head coach that knows their personnel as Kerr’s former longtime assistant (Mike Brown) and one of the league’s most explosive offenses.
And the Golden State Warriors will face a potential crossroads with issues they have not fully answered all season. After finishing the regular season with the NBA’s fourth-worst road record (11-30), will the Warriors finally master how to win away from the Bay Area as they did during their four NBA title runs? After ranking 21st out of 30 NBA teams in points allowed (117.1), will the Warriors become an elite defensive team as they did during their dynasty? After experiencing enough hiccups with developing their young players that they dealt third-year center James Wiseman before the trade deadline, can the Warriors rely on any combination of Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to give valuable moments?
Familiar questions for Golden State Warriors
Last season, the Warriors entered the postseason with similar questions about their young players and overlapping injuries. Though Curry, Thompson and Green only played 11 minutes together during the regular season, it did not matter much when the playoffs started. They had plenty of muscle memory to rely on for the playoffs. This season, the Warriors’ trio arguably have become even better versions of themselves.
In his 14th year, Curry has exceeded last season’s averages in points per game (29.5, 25.5), field-goal percentage (49.3 percent, 43.7 percent), 3-point shooting (42.7 percent, 38 percent) and assists (6.1, 5.2). In his first full season since returning from two consecutive season ending injuries to his left ACL and right Achilles, Thompson had stronger shooting performances in January (25.5 points on 45.9 percent), February (24.7 on 44.3 percent), March (20.7 on 46.6 percent) and April (24.7 on 44.3 percent) than he did in October (12.3 on 34.6 percent), November (19.3 on 42.3 percent) and December (22.5 on 40.4 percent). After playing only 46 games last season mostly because of a lower back injury, Green looks more spry and sharp on defense. Perhaps Kevon Looney will never become an All-Star, but throw him in as part of the team’s core identity. He has stayed reliable for his durability and hustle plays.
Yet, the Golden State Warriors’ core players have their own withdrawal limits.
Curry can make any shot from anywhere, but he still needs more help consistently to free up space to operate. Thompson may have demonstrated the same shooting stroke he had prior to his injuries, but he lacks the same defensive attributes that once made him one of the league’s best two-way players. Green can defend at all five positions, but he cannot do so all at once. He has also conceded he lacks the same leadership credibility after infamously punching Poole in training camp. Looney will always remain dependable as a role player, but nothing more.
That explains the Golden State Warriors’ relief over Wiggins’ return. Though they supported Wiggin publicly and privately while missing the past 22 games to help his ailing father, the Warriors will readily welcome Wiggins’ scoring presence and defensive expertise. He became the X-factor during last season’s title run with both relieving Curry’s scoring load and replacing Thompson as the team’s best perimeter defender.
Yet, Wiggins might struggle at least initially with fulfilling that job description amid anticipated rust on a minutes restriction. It might be too much to ask Gary Payton II to be the lone perimeter defender while Wiggins works his way back into shape. In other seasons, the Warriors could rely on Andre Iguodala for this role. But the 39-year-old Iguodala has struggled staying healthy even when the Warriors want to use him.
Can Golden State Warriors’ gun come through?
It’s not a coincidence that the Golden State Warriors inked Wiggins and Poole to long-term extensions before the season started. Amid the Warriors’ question marks entering the playoffs last season, they saw Poole blossom into a promising young player that could complement Curry with his range and confidence. Since then? Poole has shown erratic inconsistency with both his scoring and defensive habits. On any given night, Poole can either show impeccable range or incredible inefficiency. On any given night, Poole can become a dependable perimeter defender or a young player that has no interest on mastering that end of the floor.
Warriors second-year forward Jonathan Kuminga has become even more unpredictable. They remain intrigued with his positional versatility, athleticism and length. But they become befuddled with his poor decision making that often lead to mistakes, missed shots and slow rotations. Kuminga still has time to learn better habits. But can the Warriors truly trust Kuminga with significant moments in any high-stakes games? The Warriors have not trusted Moody with such minutes even in the regular season.
With all of these various developments, this might be the last chance for the Golden State Warriors’ core to add more hardware to their trophy case. Warriors general manager Bob Myers hasn’t been signed yet to an extension. Neither has Thompson. Green could become a free agent this summer. Iguodala is expected to retire following 19 seasons. Should the Warriors experience an early playoff exit, don’t rule out the Warriors for parting ways with both their veterans and young players in hopes of maximizing Curry’s prime.
Then again, the Warriors showed last season why it’s dangerous to doubt their championship prospects just because they experienced two turbulent seasons amid Kevin Durant’s departure and Thompson’s season-ending injuries. The same storyline could play out again in the next two months that ends with a championship parade and a vow to keep the core together once again.
Mark Medina covers the NBA for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.