As Klay Thompson comes off a
flare screen from Kevon Looney, rookie Brandin Podziemski delivers
a bounce pass at the block to Jonathan Kuminga to run their
patented split-action. Podziemski sets another screen at the wing
and Kuminga delivers a pass right on the money to a curling
Thompson. He sets his feet, lets one defender chasing him fly by
and shoots a three right over the help defender.
Splash. Nothing but the bottom
of the net, just like the old days. The Warriors are comfortably up
after the third quarter against the Utah Jazz after Thompson hits
his third-straight three and score his 35th point as he came off
the bench for the first time since 2012. Although the Jazz had a
big fourth quarter to keep the game close, the Warriors eked out
with a win to continue playing their best basketball of the
season.
The Warriors are fun again, so
it seems.
After a tumultuous season filled
with ups and downs, the Dubs are 8-2 over their last 10 games right
before the All-Star break and preparing for another playoff push
with their aging dynastic core.
What makes their run so special
is the fact that they rediscovered a winning formula despite making
zero moves at the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 8. Rumors were
swirling, but they decided to stick with this group for the rest of
the season – and possibly for seasons to come.
“We did win a championship, in case people
forgot, a year and a half ago,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr
when asked if he believes this isn’t the last dance for the
Warriors’ Big Three. “I believe in my guys, I love those guys, and
we’re going to keep fighting.”
“We did win a championship, in case people
forgot, a year and a half ago…I believe in my guys, I love those
guys, and we’re going to keep fighting.”– Steve Kerr when asked if he still believes this season is not a
“Last Dance” for the Warriors’ Big 3 (via @WillardAndDibs).
pic.twitter.com/0x1cmOmyqf— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame)
January 17, 2024
Despite a seemingly lost season,
the Warriors took a gamble by choosing to stand pat and stick with
the core that won them a title two seasons ago, while trusting this
new set of role players to fill in the gaps.
The championship core from two
years ago is still intact. Steph Curry is still an all-world talent
and offensive force even at 35 years old. Draymond Green is back to
his usual self. Since returning from his suspension, Green’s
aggressiveness on offense and ever-reliant ability on defense have
energized the team.
Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney
started the season with bad slumps, but are slowly getting back
into their groove, while Gary Payton II continues to work his way
back to being 100% healthy. Thompson has struggled as of late, but
he can still be lethal scoring in spurts with just his mere
shooting prowess.
The young guys are coming into
their own as contributors and finding their identity within the
team. Podziemski has been a
revelation, serving as a connector on offense and earning Steve
Kerr’s trust to start games and play with the closing lineup over
Thompson. Kuminga is developing into a capable scoring option,
which gives the Warriors another dimension.
Lately, the Warriors look like
themselves again. Their in-game swagger is back and the vibes are
immaculate. These are the Warriors of old, winning while having
fun.
Given their recent success, they
are confident that they still have at least one more run in
them.
“This is a story that’s still
kind of unfolding, and it’s important that we see it all the way
through until it’s proven that we can’t win,” Curry said in
an interview with The Ringer’s Logan
Murdock.
The Warriors are determined to
winand they want to do it
their way. And perhaps that’s the point.
This team was built from the
ground up, with a collective effort from a group of players who
were drafted and developed by the franchise. After all, it was the “Strength in Numbers”
mantra that started it all, and it’s only fitting to end their
journey the same way they started: with a team that was built the
right way.
The Warriors have won four
championships in the last decade by using this formula, and they
believe this same approach will lead them to another Larry O’Brien
trophy. After doing it all these years, Thompson believes that they
have what it takes to succeed once again by trusting their
process.
“You see Steph Curry, you see
Draymond Green, you see our playoff record when we are together,”
Thompson proclaimed. “I’ll always believe.”
