The Golden State Warriors are looking to get back into title contention this season. Klay Thompson suffered an Achilles injury before last season, which kept them from being a contender. Stephen Curry played out of his mind, averaging 32 points per game and winning the scoring title. He carried Golden State to the play-in round. However, they lost two straight games against the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies to end their season.
In the draft, Bob Myers selected Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh overall pick before selecting Arkansas guard Moses Moody. We’ll have to see how much playing time they get during the regular season. There are many statements being made about this year’s squad, but we’ve got you covered with our Fact or Fiction series. It features the biggest claims being made about the Warriors and gives you the answer with a decisive fact or fiction.
Make sure to check out all of our other Fact or Fiction articles.
The Warriors are Title Contenders
The Warriors weren’t title contenders last season because they didn’t have enough firepower to compete with the Lakers and Phoenix Suns of the world. This year is different, though. Thompson is expected to return from his Achilles injury this season. He instantly makes Golden State contenders.
It seems like people forget how great of a player Thompson is. The 31-year-old is in the Hall of Fame if he retired today. He was an All-Star for five straight seasons before getting hurt. When Thompson was on the floor, Golden State appeared in five straight Finals, winning three without Kevin Durant. The core of the Warriors dynasty is still there so there’s no doubt they’ll be contenders this season.
Verdict: Fact, The Splash Bros are Back Together
Curry and Co. Will Win Another Ring
It’s easier to say the Warriors will be contenders than to say they will win another ring because of the super teams that have been built around the NBA compared to the super teams that existed when Golden State was getting to the Finals every year. In 2017 and 2018, the only super team was the Warriors with Durant, Curry, and Thompson. The Cleveland Cavaliers were talented but they didn’t have three first-ballot Hall of Famers on their team along with a great defender in Draymond Green.
Fast forward to 2021, and there are super teams all over the place. The Brooklyn Nets have Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. The Lakers have LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis. The Milwaukee Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. In other words, there’s more competition in the NBA than there was five or six years ago.
However, the Warriors are still in a good spot to win another ring. The statement isn’t that the Warriors will win a ring this coming season. It’s Curry “will win another ring” in his career with Golden State. He has five more seasons left on his contract with the Warriors, which gives him a good chance of winning another title in that window.
Brooklyn seems like the only team with a similar large window of contention because Durant just signed an extension and it looks like Irving and Harden will also be back. The Suns likely won’t be as great with Chris Paul taking up a big chunk of their payroll for the next four years as he ages. The Lakers have a two-year window before LeBron likely departs to join the team his son is drafted to. The Los Angeles Clippers have Kawhi Leonard locked up, but he can’t stay healthy. Once the next couple of years go by, Golden State should have an opportunity to be the team to beat in the Western Conference if Curry, Thompson, and Green are healthy.
Verdict: Fact, Steph is Still There for Five More Years
Steph will Lead the League in Scoring Again
As mentioned earlier, Curry went off last season. Let’s face it, he had to because he didn’t have one of the greatest shooters of all time to pass the ball to. But now with Thompson scheduled to return to the court, his scoring numbers won’t be as high as last season. When Thompson was healthy, Curry averaged anywhere from 25-30 points per game. The scoring champion the last three years has averaged at least 32 points per game, which isn’t going to be something Curry has to do to win. Look for someone like Damian Lillard (if he stays in Portland) or Luka Doncic to be the scoring champion because they have to be great on a nightly basis for their team to win consistently.
Verdict: Fiction, Steph Doesn’t Have to Carry the Offense Anymore
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