Welcome to the final Warriors Weekly of an incredibly eventful November that still has one game remaining.
The Week that Was:
After setting the new record for consecutive wins to start a season at 16-0 against the Lakers in a walk, the Warriors are facing a new kind of adversity with Harrison Barnes spraining his ankle against the Suns (more on that later).
They also set the record for most made three pointers in a half against the Suns and then waxed the Kings in Oakland without needing Stephen Curry in either fourth quarter. Oh, and Draymond Green became the first Warrior since Wilt to record triple-doubles in consecutive games.
Stephen Curry Above the Break Three Update: Stephen Curry has made 77 above the break three pointers this year, more than five teams. His 44.8% shooting from there is better than all but one team from mid-range (the Warriors, incidentally) and all but four teams in the paint (non-restricted area) not even accounting for the fact that 3>2. In some ways more remarkably, Curry is making more of his above the break threes than all but three of the top 30 in attempts (Durant, Kyle Korver and Mirza Teletovic) despite trying more than double the amount of anyone outside the top 10 in the league.
Harrison Barnes (40) dunks the ball over Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Soapbox: The Sans-Barnes Experiment
When Harrison Barnes went down with a left leg injury during the Phoenix game, it fortunately looked worse than it appears to be at the moment. I was concerned about a potential knee issue beyond the myriad ankle possibilities but pretty much any degree of ankle sprain is among the better scenarios for the Warriors given that kind of issue because he will miss time but suffer no long-term effects. It was a little jarring because Barnes has been among the most durable players over their recent run of success, only missing four games in his first three seasons and played all 82 last year.
While playing without the Black Falcon unambiguously makes the Warriors a worse team during that time, it also provides an opportunity to see how pivotal his versatility is to their success. Even without a perfect fit to be his replacement in the starting lineup or the Draymond at center grouping that has run roughshod over the league, players like Shaun Livingston and Brandon Rush are capable of shouldering a heavier load than they do when the Warriors are full-strength. This injury and absence should not affect Barnes’ asking price as a free agent but knowing how the team does without him allows Bob Myers and the front office to have a clearer idea of the choice they are making in July 2016. If they struggle, it could also make them more amenable to agreeing to a five-year deal rather than letting him hit the more open market of restricted free agency. If the results are cleaner, the front office could become more cavalier about how it goes in July, especially considering his lower cap hold.
Since the Warriors’ definition of success this season comes entirely in May and June, this injury serves more as an inconvenience than a hindrance unless it recurs down the line. That said, fans and the front office alike can learn some information about this team through this experience that could be useful in the months ahead that would have been unknown otherwise. It is a silver lining to be sure but a compelling one to say the least.
Mike Conley (11) goes up for a shot between Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors (15) and center Rudy Gobert. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
The Week to Come:
An absolutely brutal stretch against teams with very different strengths.
The week starts with a trip to Utah and their young front court of Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert. Their lack of a true point guard has been a limitation but that weakness allows them to play a “triple wing” lineup down the stretch with natural SG Alec Burks defending point guards. It could challenge Stephen Curry.
After that, the Warriors travel to Charlotte where the surprising Hornets are doing well having outscored opponents by 3.7 points per game on the season. From there, they head to Toronto and face a Raptors team that has beaten the Cavs, Clippers and Wizards since losing a close one at Oracle.
To top it all off, the Dubs finish it off with the tail end of a weekend back-to-back against the Nets, a team with a disappointing record that also pushed the Warriors to overtime earlier in the season.
As tough as that sounds, I cannot really pick anything other than 4-0.