Alexa Schorr
Many critics and fans think that the Golden State Warriors are the team to beat in the NBA. They have Steph Curry, the best shooter of all time; Draymond Green, who is one of the best defensive players in the league; and Klay Thompson, who also is outstanding from the arc. As of 2022 with Thompson back, the Golden State Warriors are the best team in the NBA and are the team to beat.
Golden State owns the NBA’s best record of all time. Yahoo Sports said “Golden State’s top-rated defense, anchored by Draymond Green, has outperformed its fourth-ranked offense, and the Warriors are about to reunite Klay Thompson with Splash Brother Stephen Curry. They are on pace to finish 66-16, and their role players’ performance has been reminiscent of the “Strength in Numbers” squad that won the 2015 championship.”
Although many people think the Warriors aren’t the team to beat. Many sports critics, fans, and I think the Warriors are the strongest team in the league and will be in the NBA finals. Although they have many areas they need to improve on, NBC Sports stated “But recently, the Warriors have been hitting on both ends of the floor.”
Not only do critics think that the Warriors are the team to defeat, but the stats also represent Golden State in a positive way. As of January, they average 108.6 points per game according to NBA.com. The Warriors are 37-13 in game wins. Furthermore, Golden State is favored as one of the top titleholders. The Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, and the Milwaukee Bucks are the top three title favorites.
Many people think otherwise about the Golden State Warriors. Some believe that Thompson only just returned and won’t be the way he was before the injuries. Others believe that Curry’s shooting slump will affect the whole team negatively. Yahoo Sports said, “But Thompson has not played in 31 months, and I’m not entirely convinced Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and company are enough to push Curry and Green through four rounds of the playoffs when a year ago they could not make it out of the play-in tournament.” Another reason why some critics and fans think they aren’t the best is that they have to improve in numerous areas. NBC Sports states that “And even before they get back, the Warriors have some areas to improve on that will make them better.”
Steve Kerr (Golden State Head Coach) talked about the team’s success with Thompson back on the court in a postgame interview after a win against the Timberwolves. “These last two games are a really good indicator of what our team can look like with Klay back. … These last couple of games, with our spacing and ball movement, we’ve gotten some really good shots.” Overall, the Golden State Warriors have stats and many fans/critics to prove they are the team to beat in the 2022 NBA league.