Thoughts at the Halfway Point

The defending world champions started their season hot, almost like the 2014-2015 season never ended, as they began the season 24-0.  

This was due to Stephen Curry’s dazzling play as he averaged 32.1 points per game, making 78 of 181 attempted three pointers, for a three point percentage of 43%.  Curry also led the league in Player Efficiency Rating with 33.8.  

Although the undefeated regular season would come to an abrupt end on Dec. 12 in Milwaukee to the Bucks, by a final score of 95-108.

Fast forward and the Warriors are sitting pretty as number one in the pacific division.  

shooting guard Klay Thompson has caught fire at the right time after a slow start to the season, as mvp Steph Curry’s health has taken a bit of a hit,  yet he has still averaged  30.3 points per game.  

Solid play off the bench from Shaun Livingston, and Brandon Rush have given the Dubs more depth coming off the bench this year than last year.

  The question at this point in the season, as we are almost to the halfway point, is whether or not the Warriors can push it to the 70+ win mark, or rest their star players in preparation for the late season and into the playoffs.  

It relies on the health of Steph Curry.  The Dubs’ star point guard has had a calf injury as well as a shin contusion.  Although the injuries have only kept him out two games, the Warriors suffer greatly without his court presence.

In the two games during his absence, the team lost in a blowout to the Dallas Mavericks 91-114, and beat the Rockets 114-110, they have an absurd +523 point differential with him on the court, and -114 with him off the court, according to ESPN’s Ethan Sherwood Strauss.  That in itself shows just how important he is.

Not only is Curry vital to the team’s success, but so is Draymond Green.  Green has been one of the most dominant frontcourt players in the game.  For the season, he has averaged 15.2 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game, and 7.3 assists per game.  The 7.3 assists are the most by a warriors forward in a single season.  

Green also leads all power forwards in three-point percentage, and, his eight triple doubles leads the league, and is most by a power forward in the single season.

With the regular season streak well over, another one has emerged, this one being the 38 straight wins at home, where they are shooting 48.2% on field goals as well as 40% from the three point line.

Going into the biggest game of the regular season, a clash with the red-hot San Antonio Spurs, who have won thirteen in a row on their own, the Warriors were coming off two blowout victories over the Cavaliers, Bulls, and Pacers, and coach Steve Kerr was back and making his season debut.

The matchup with the Spurs was supposed to be a close one, but it was never was.  The Spurs, without legend center Tim Duncan, lost by 30 points and were dismantled by the dubs in ever facet of the game, as the dubs made it 39 straight home wins.

Forward Lamarcus Aldridge was held to just six points all night, and Tony Parker was held to just five.

They proved once again that they are the best team in the NBA, and deserve once again to be in the conversation with the 96’ Bulls as one of the greatest teams ever to play on the hardwood.  With everyone healthy, and the club running on all cylinders going into the halfway point of the season, it looks like it will be yet again another deep playoff run for the bay’s team.  Could it be a 72 win season?  We will just have to wait and see.