A regular season so unheard of that not even the most die-hard Golden State Warriors’ fan could have predicted occurring just happened within these past several months. 73-9 is remarkable and a feat that will probably never happen again in NBA history. Led by Stephen Curry, the Dubs have tons of talent, character, and chemistry on and throughout the roster. Everyone stayed the course and caused zero drama, which made the quest for 73 an easier transition than it looked.
Shaun Livingston was supposed to never play in another game after his gruesome leg injury in 2007. He underwent surgeries and an unlimited amount of rehab to step onto a court again and last season, he became an NBA champion. He’s the backup to the best player in the league, yet the team doesn’t see a significant drop-off when he’s on the court. He doesn’t shoot the long ball like the majority of guards in the league, but he knows how to run an offense and is extremely smart on the court.
Leandro Barbosa played for five teams in over a decade in the NBA, much longer than anyone expected. The Brazilian Blur is one of the quickest veteran players in the league and brings a charm to the team that other squads lack. “We gonna be shampionship” was the line of last season and fans still bring it up to this day. He’s hot and cold on the court, but has been more helpful than not during his tenure with the Warriors. He brings a spark off the bench scoring wise that none of the other guards do.
Like Livingston, Brandon Rush had high hopes entering the league as a 13th pick in 2008. He’s battled lingering knee injuries throughout his career and had to ride the end of the bench last season. Rush has worked as hard as any Warrior to get into shape and admirably filled the void Harrison Barnes left when he sprained his ankle earlier in the year. Rush is now a dependable part of the second unit, something which seemed unrealistic when he showed up to camp a few summers ago.
Andre Iguodala had to sacrifice his starting position in favor of Barnes when Steve Kerr decided to let the young North Carolina product start with the Splash Brothers and let Andre run the second unit. Without many complaints, Iguodala embraced the role and has become the best bench player in the league. Unlike many guys who have won 6th Man of the Year, Iguodala doesn’t come into the game to score. He enters with a mindset to stop the opposition and get everyone involved. A Finals MVP winner, Iguodala is one of the most valuable assets to the best team in the world.
It took Marreese Speights over five seasons to find a home, but he now has one in Oakland. The big man is a fan favorite to the Warriors’ faithful and is a microwave off the bench. Known for his scoring, Speights bring energy and a consistent jumper to Golden State. He’s now added a three-point jumper to his game and a surprising effort to the other side of the ball as of late. Unfortunately, Festus Ezeli has been going through injury issues himself since he’s entered the league. The good news is that he is back and looks better than ever entering the postseason. A victim to Iguodala’s April Fool’s prank, Ezeli is set for a big payday this offseason. The 26-year-old will be a free-agent that the Warriors would love to bring back for his defensive interior presence and effort on the glass.
Ian Clark worked his behind off to make the final cut to be on the Warriors roster this season. From the Summer League to the big league, Clark appeared in 66 games for the Dubs. James Michael McAdoo didn’t get a chance to shine for the team like he expected this year, but showed flashes of potential in the limited minutes he got. Ros Gold-Onwude reported that he leads the team in pregame prayer and is one of the most spirited members of the squad.
Trying to get over hip issues, Kevon Looney actually stepped on the court for the Warriors this season. The 20-year-old had 9 points in 5 games and a bright future in this league. Anderson Varejao and the Cleveland Cavaliers finally broke up and he went from LeBron James to Stephen Curry — not bad in 2016. He played a ton of minutes when Ezeli was hurt and he might be out of the rotation for now, but he’s close to Barbosa and already tight with the team by being apart of their group chat. He’ll bring a voice to the locker room and could come in handy in the NBA Finals.
Where would the Warriors be without some key components of their coaching staff? Well, Steve Kerr has taken the team from 0-100, real quick during his stint as head coach. Coming fresh off a title season, he hopes to have the same success in the 2016 Playoffs. He’s now a member of the 73-win Warriors AND 72-win Chicago Bulls. He’s 140 and 24 as a head coach. Despite his ongoing battle with his ailing back and migraines, Kerr has done a remarkable job taking over for Mark Jackson.
Luke Walton started the season for Golden State (went 24-0 first 24 games) and was impressive with Kerr out. He’s due for a big contract if a team wants to hire him as their head coach this offseason, but he might choose to stay with the Warriors for a while. He’s been a stellar replacement for Alvin Gentry. Ron Adams is a defensive mastermind. He has a ton of Gregg Popovich in him. The 68-year-old has given up a lot of time to help guys like Ezeli become a better individual player and help guys like Curry and Barbosa on the defensive side of the ball.
Warrior fans have a love and hate relationship with Harrison Barnes, it’s understandable. Kevin Durant in the Bay Area is too good of an idea to pass up. Regardless, Barnes has had his ups and downs. He plays the four in the Warriors’ Death Lineup and is one of the better defenders on the team. Oppositions dare him to shoot the ball and at times, he makes them pay. Fans are hoping to see Playoff Barnes again this year and that will work him to a big deal this summer. He’ll get tons of max offers from lower tier teams, but the Warriors could bring him back for the right price; four years and 64 million might not be it.
Andrew Bogut had one of his better seasons as a Warrior and is not only one of the most underrated players on the team, but in the league. He passes extremely well for a center and is able to get Thompson and Curry open for several shots. He’s injury-prone, but the deal for Monta Ellis actually ended up working in more ways than one. Funny considering how badly Joe Lacob was boo’d during Chris Mullin’s jersey retirement. Bogut probably has a few more good years left in him before he hangs them up.
And if Bogut does hang them up, it’s good to know Golden State has a 6’7 center waiting for his spot. Or is that what he is? Draymond Green seems to play and defend every position on the floor. He became the first player to ever have 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists, 100 steals, and 100 blocks in a season and was second to only Russell Westbrook in triple-doubles this season. He’s been phenomenal this year and is the second most valuable Warrior behind Curry. His slightly below max-contract now looks like a bargain. He’s the heartbeat of the team and the engine that keeps their car running. He wanted 73 wins more than anyone and made it possible. Not bad for a dude that scouts thought would end up in Europe.
Klay Thompson is the second best shooter in the world and under-appreciated because of how good Steph Curry is. Not a problem, he won the Three-Point Contest in February and has been on a tear since the All-Star Break. He has a knack for underperforming in the postseason, but the tides will change this year as Killa Klay has become a thing and his shooting stroke is one of the best ever. He is one of the best two-way players in the league and never complains about wanting to shoot more or individual stats. He’s the perfect compliment to the best player in the world…
…and that would be none other than Stephen Curry. He made four hundred and two three pointers this season. Yes, 402. He became the first player ever to make 400 in a season and finished the year with a 30.1 points per game average. Per the Warriors’ public relations team, he averaged the least amount of minutes for any 30 PPG scorer ever. Curry took his game to the next step this season and has a legitimate shot at winning the Most Improved Player of the Year Award and has locked up MVP, easily. He also has a 50-40-90 season while leading the league in scoring. His defense has taken the next step too as players average less than 40 percent shooting from the field when he’s guarding them. This might go down as the best season ever, especially if he leads the Warriors to a back-to-back and wins his first Finals MVP award.
This Golden State Warriors season will go down as not only one of the best in basketball, but in all of sports. These next two months will be an exciting time for hoops fans around the world. Prepare yourselves for the entertainment, the Golden State Warriors 73-win roster has tons of guys to root for and that should win yet another NBA Championship to officially start their dynasty.