Is it time for Golden State to Climb back to the top?
It isn’t easy to see where things have been going wrong for the Golden State Warriors: In Stephen Curry, the franchise possesses one of the greatest to have ever played the game and the Point Guard has just enjoyed his best-ever season.
At the other end of the court, Draymond Green is a Defensive Player of the Year finalist. Between those two positions, there have definitely been some issues but could 2021/22 see the Warriors regain the type of form that saw them dominate the NBA a few seasons ago?
Room for Improvement
The 2020/21 campaign was one to forget for fans of Golden State as the team finished down in ninth place in the Western Conference. It was just enough to get the Warriors into the Play-in Tournament but a defeat to the Grizzlies saw them miss out on the playoffs for the second consecutive season. More info about the warrior’s run can be found on the NBA website.
At times, it was a one-man show and it’s incredible to think that Stephen Curry finished as the Warriors’ leading points scorer despite that poor finish. Remember, this is a side that won three NBA Championships between 2015 and 2018 while claiming the divisional title for five years in a row from 2015.
Retirements and trades have hit Golden State hard but what are their chances of a recovery in 2021/22?
Warriors Ranked
There is some encouragement for Golden State Warriors fans from a potentially unlikely source. Those that like to bet on basketball will find that the sportsbooks affiliated with SBO.net are giving GSW a strong chance of winning the NBA Championship at the end of the upcoming campaign.
They’re not the favorites for success: The Brooklyn Nets lead the way by some margin with the Los Angeles Lakers in second place. A further gap follows to third favorites the Milwaukee Bucks before Golden State follow in a respectable fourth place.
As the preseason develops, there is scope for those markets to alter and SBO.net will reflect any changes from their panel of recommended bookmakers. In addition, there will be markets available for the result of each NBA match together with a series of props.
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Considering that the Warriors failed to make it into the playoffs last time out, a fourth place in the betting markets is interesting. Steph Curry remains in the ranks but what does Golden State need to do in order to justify that unexpected faith?
A Mix of New and Old
Of course, Stephen Curry 30 needs to keep scoring: Golden State needs to stop relying on one man but they won’t be able to progress if their key player suffers a dip in form. Similarly, Draymond Green must maintain his skills in order to keep things tight at the back of the court.
But the obvious issue for the Warriors concerns the backup roster. The squad has to step up as a whole and there is genuine optimism that they can do that when the new season starts in October.
A big boost for fans came with the news that Andre Iguodala had returned to The Bay after a two-year absence. The influential shooting guard had been a part of the Warriors’ most successful sides of recent years and his two seasons at Miami Heat coincided with Golden State’s slump.
He’s 37 now but Iguodala is still returning good stats and it’s a welcome return for a player who was named as the MVP of the 2015 finals.
And then there’s Klay Thompson: Injuries are a part of basketball but the shooting guard has suffered more than most – missing each of the last two seasons. Like Andre Iguodala, Thompson has played an important role in the best years of the Golden State Warriors.
Draft picks and other new faces will have to step up but there is a feeling at Golden State that the band is back together and there are many reasons for Warriors fans to be optimistic about their team’s chances.