Steph Curry

The 2013-14 Golden State Warriors have played three preseason games so far and dropped two of those contests.

The Dubs have shown some positive signs but also a few troubling ones that may or may not matter in the grand scheme of things. For instance, the transition game has been terrific after defensive stops.

When Golden State forces a miss and secures a clean rebound, the players sprint down the court and create high-percentage shots at the rim.

On the flip side, Harrison Barnes has struggled as a starter. He has missed the majority of his shots and simply has not looked like the postseason hero that contributed to taking down the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the 2013 playoffs.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel has converted three-of-18 field goals in two preseason games (he has only played in two of the three contests). Andrew Bogut has joined Barnes with his offensive struggles by converting a mere six-of-19 shots from the field.

With Barnes, there is some optimism because some of the shots he has missed have been open ones. In the case of the Australian, he has missed point blank hook shots in the paint.

Perhaps the big man will regain his form and start making shots with regularity, but it appears that this is the Bogut that Warriors fans should get accustomed to. He will probably score easy shots directly at the rim but his other attempts will be a rollercoaster ride.

That’s worth keeping an eye on.

2013-14 Preseason Stats

Have a look at the Golden State Warriors’ 2013-14 preseason stats courtesy of Warriors.com.

Stats

A couple of observations:

  • Every perimeter player not named Klay Thompson or Andre Iguodala has struggled shooting the ball.
  • Stephen Curry’s shooting numbers are quite low, but through three games, he has the best plus-minus rating on the team. He is plus-20.
  • Klay Thompson owns the second-best plus-minus rating on the team with a plus-17.
  • For those wondering, Draymond Green owns the worst plus-minus rating at minus-38 through three games.
  • Toney Douglas’ statistical output might not be all that impressive but he can be a pest defensively.
  • Mark Jackson has used both Jermaine O’Neal and Andrew Bogut together for a few minutes and they protected the basket like wild animals. But that’s also resulted in fouls.

Swats and And Ones

  • Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat has looked pretty good in the preseason. Unless he gets into trouble, he will make the team and torture opposing second units.
  • Apparently Kobe Bryant could suit up and play right now for the Los Angeles Lakers if they were participating in the playoffs. Seriously, at what point do we start wondering if he’s one of the Monstars?
  • The 2013-14 Los Angeles Lakers might be better than some people think on the count of their offense alone. It seems unlikely, but it’s still something to keep an eye on in the battle for the Pacific division title.
  • The Golden State Warriors play Tuesday morning at 3:30 AM 4:30 AM (PT) on NBATV (verify local channel as well) against the Los Angeles Lakers in China.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

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