It could be likely. They still look like shit on defense, but that team has some dangerous weapons. Lee can finally play his true position of PF (we all know he's as 20/10 as it gets), Bedrins at C. Radman and Reggie Williams can bring it from the perimeter and Brendan and Dorrell Wright are solid backups. Then of course, you have arguably the best backcourt in the league and a new coach with hopefully some fresh ideas. Just watching them tonight, I've seen them running Lee almost at a point 4 type deal with Ellis cutting to the hoop for bounce passes effectively. They have the potential to be better than the team that snuck in to the 8 seed in the West and beat Dallas a couple years back.
I don't know, but I watched too and Ellis sure looked good. He scored at will. Still wish we had gone after him when he was in Nellie's doghouse.
I think people have written us off too quickly but also hard to argue in a pretty competitive western conference. After the Lakers almost anyone could realistically get in. The conference as a whole got worse but some of the crappy teams from last year improved a lot. There's a lot to like about the Warriors. Added a 20/10 PF, Monta gladly accepting his role as SG next to Curry, Smart's motion offense is looking fluid so far and the defense has improved some, rebounding is a lot better. That being said we lost a lot of depth and our bench is terrible. Dorrell Wright has been up and down in the preseason and really may not be a starting quality SF. We lack anyone with defensive talent (D. Wright is ok I hear). Backup PG situation is a mess. We're going to have to rely on Vlad, Charlie Bell, Jeremy Lin, Jeff Adrien, etc. to give us production off the bench.
4-1 record now and holding the Jazz to under 80 points. They are a team to watch out for out West. Two great rebounding bigs in Biedrins and Lee, Dorrell Wright is finally living up to potential and Steph Curry has been out most the season so far. Its still early, but this isn't the Nellie Warriors anymore. With Curry back they are going to be a tough opponent.
You're right. It certainly isn't. Would someone please call the Elias Sports Bureau and tell me when was the last time the Warriors scored 85 or less and won the game?
Found the answer. First paragraph: http://blogs.mercurynews.com/warriors/2010/11/06/pinch-me-warriors-85-jazz-78/
Another statistic; last season the Warriors only out-rebounded the opposing team 13 times (they won 9 of those games). So far this season they've out-rebounded their opponent in 4 of their 5 games. The game which they were out-rebounded was their only loss thus far against the Lakers in LA. So far Biedrins and Lee have been "eating glass" to use Larry Riley's term and Lou Amundson and Udoh haven't even played yet. Don't get ahead of yourself yet though. All four of their wins have come at home. Thus far they're raping on the glass, playing some better defense and everyone is really buying into Smart and his motion offense. But they're untested on the road and have a pretty crappy bench right now. They've beaten some pretty decent teams this season but they're just beginning their first road trip tomorrow in which they'll play a number of inferior eastern teams. They can be a playoff threat this season if they take care of business on the road against these teams because they're very tough at the Oracle. If they continue to suck on the road as they did against the Lakers (granted, without Steph Curry that game) then they'll be 30-35 wins like everyone originally predicted.
Anything is possible. I think there's some spots available because I'm not sold that the San Antonios, the Phoenixs, and the Dallas' are all capable of falling out of the top 8.
The Warriors have always been our little buddy down south that I've enjoyed watching and paid close attention to. Started out when I was real young and they had Hardaway, Webber and Mullin. I used to get really fuzzy versions of their games on KNBR back in the day too.
