No, the Warriors aren’t the favorites to win the Finals, the Western Conference or even their own division, but have they captured the hearts and minds of the national conglomerate?
What may seem a minute task for some is vastly important to most. The players, this team and most importantly, the organization is finally being recognized and in their most promising season yet, expectations are at an all-time high for, yes, the Golden State Warriors.
It’s easy to see why.
One team in its most recent history has dominated California: the Los Angeles Lakers. In the midst of extreme Kobe Bryant rancor and Carlos Boozer starting at power forward, their time as a dominant force – at least for now – is over. Bryant, 36, is a shell of himself that is incapable of dominating like he once did or even carry any sort of contributing presence on the defensive end.
For the longest time, it was the Lakers and everyone else. They were dominant and they deserved every bit the recognition they received. They were a global brand and dominated not just California, but the NBA entirely. This time is now gone, and its biggest example might be in the fact that they aren’t even the best team to grace Staples Center any longer.
The West Coast is finally getting its due, with two teams battling it out not only for the Pacific division, but for the crown of California. Why is this important? It indicates a shift, both structurally and philosophically in how this league will look for the immediate future. Both of these teams are very good, both are contenders and both have a plethora of talent that can either lead them to new heights or plummet to disappointing lows.
Did we ever think this was possible?
This leads me to the Warriors, who come into the 2014-15 with a new coaching staff, a revamped bench and most important, a new culture. The core of this team is intact, and the slight tweaks that needed to be made have been made. An additional big man aside, this team had a successful offseason and as a result, carries the highest expectations this franchise has ever seen.
Expectations are garnered from progress, which was the main caveat in the Mark Jackson firing. This team was progressing, but the ceiling had been reached. Sure, they could’ve advanced beyond the Clippers, but were they ready for the Thunder or the Spurs? 
Their ceiling was drowning under the splashes for many, but for others it was abundantly clear.
The new look offense, Shaun Livingston and the return of Brandon Rush and Festus Ezeli has everyone anticipating a deep playoff run, but are they poised for one? That depends mostly on health, as all three of the aforementioned players are nursing injuries heading into the season. Alvin Gentry and Ron Adams are aiding Steve Kerr; two coaching lifers who combined might make the best coaching staff in the league.
Most fans will always believe in their team, some are realists and others simply don’t care and attend for simply for Instagram likes. But for those who truly care, they know this is the most talented team they’ve ever seen with a coaching staff that can utilize these talents to the best of their abilities. It’s one thing to have talent, it’s another to maximize it.
NBA.com’s 2014-15 GM Survey was released yesterday and to no one’s surprise, the Warriors were prominent. According to all 30 NBA GM’s, the Warriors have the sixth best chance at winning the Finals (3.8%) trailing the Spurs, Cavaliers, Bulls, Clippers and Thunder. As far as the Western Conference, they have the fourth best chances at 3.7%. Finally, GM’s have the Clippers as 81.5% favorites to win the Pacific division.
Individually, GM’s have Klay Thompson as a breakout candidate with an 11.1% chance behind Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal and tied with Andre Drummond. They also voted him as the second best shooting guard with 63% of the vote going to James Harden. Stephen Curry got an honorable mention as best point guard in the league behind Chris Paul, Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook as well.
Interestingly and quite frankly, disturbing, is the fact they also voted Curry as the third best shooting guard in the league with 7.1% of the vote. I’m not sure if these GM’s truly believe Curry is better at shooting guard or that GM’s thought the vote actually for the best guard that can shoot the basketball. Either way, it’s a sad result.
Despite what GM’s believe, the oddsmakers set or what fans predict, one thing is clear: the Warriors are serious contenders to make a deep playoff run. And with Steve Kerr at the helm, these dreams are no longer farfetched. Can the Warriors deliver on the expectations or will they fall short for whatever reason the basketball gods decide?
The results are still unclear, but the pieces are set. A new system, a new bench and the same core return. The team is out of the slums and into the limelight. The Warriors are finally the favorites, maybe not for the title, their conference or even their division, but they’re the favorites of many. The team, finally, wants that to mean so much more.