Golden State Warriors
The 2021-22 Golden State Warriors can be defined by hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy for the fourth time in the last eight years.
What did we learn?
From light years ahead to the G League — and now back to the top of the mountain.
Holy cannoli, the Warriors did it again.
A long time ago at the beginning of the season, the Warriors started 18-2, looking like the Warriors of old with Steph and Dray running the show. It was impossible not to compare this version of the Warriors to the old Strength in Numbers Dubs of the past due to their depth, pristine ball movement, and that it was defense that was actually the backbone of what they do.
Over the first month and a half of the season, the Warriors had the stingiest defense in the NBA with a robust defensive rating of 99.4. They also had the #2 offense and definitely the best net rating.
Then Steph chasing the 3-point record actually threw a wrench into things. But against the Knicks at MSG (of course it would be at the Mecca), Steph hit his 2,974th career 3-pointer, off of a pass from Andrew Wiggins (foreshadowing) to claim his rightful place atop the all-time 3-point summit.
Steph and the Warriors put the 3-point record behind them, but just as Klay was set to return for his first game in 941 days, Draymond was out indefinitely with a calf injury linked to a back issue.
Klay made his triumphant return, promptly scoring the first basket of the game for the Dubs, and he even threw down a little power dunk in his second quarter of action. Overall, it understandably took Klay a while to get his sea legs all the way back underneath him. But Captain Klay stayed true to himself, always firing away.
Yet without Draymond, the Warriors did not look like the Warriors. Draymond would not return until two months later in mid-March. The very next game was when Marcus Smart dove into Steph, causing him to miss the last three weeks of the season. Without Steph, the Warriors immediately went on a slide, losing 7 out of 8 as the up-and-coming Grizzlies grabbed a firm hold on the 2 seed in the West.
The only teams with a worse record than the Warriors in March were the Rockets, Pacers, Lakers, Thunder and Blazers.
The silver lining was that Jordan Poole finally took off again, averaging 26 points over those last three weeks, finding his way with more responsibility. Klay started to find a rhythm as well with some monster games, including six games with six or more 3s. The Warriors closed the regular season out winning by five in a row.
When the playoffs started, Steph returned as THE Sixth Man, and we were reminded of just how much playoff experience this group has. The Dubs laid waste to the Nuggets in 5 games.
The young Grizz brought some smoke, taking Game 2 behind 47 points from Ja Morant. The Warriors response was to flex their chops with a 30-point blowout win in Game 3 back at the Bay. Morant didn’t play in the last three games, but that didn’t stop the Grizz from destroying the Dubs in Game 5 to keep their season alive. The Warriors took care of business in Game 6 back home at the Chase Center, knowing no matter how good the barbecue is, there was no way they could go back to Memphis.
In the Western Conference Finals against Dallas, Wiggins played some excellent D on Luka and the Mavs missed all of the 3s they hit against Phoenix. Golden State had way too much firepower for Dallas. It was another series closed out in 5.
And then in The Finals — back where the Warriors belong — it was the Celtics who took a 2-1 lead after three games. But that’s when Steph lit TD Garden ablaze in Game 4 with 43 spectacular points. Wiggins erupted, too, playing with the fire that we’ve always wanted him to, snagging the most rebounds in the series (!!) and putting the defensive clamps on Tatum.
Draymond had some off-games, but he showed up when the Warriors needed him the most. If Draymond played well, the Warriors almost always won. When Draymond scored 6 or more points in the playoffs, the Warriors went 13-3. (They were 3-3 in the other 6 games.) Draymond still fuels the Warriors with his tenacity and veteran savvy, one of the most smart and intuitive players in the game.
Jordan Poole was unleashed. A walking heat check off the bench. The Whirpoole lineups with Steph were noxious offensively. Poole is more known for his 3-point shooting, but he shot 55 percent on 2s this season, a very strong number for a guard.
Kevon Looney was a pro’s pro, hauling in huge offensive boards that sucked the life out of the opponent time and time again.
Klay had some not so great shooting performances, but it was a Klay go-ahead 3 in Game 4 that gave the Warriors the lead with 4 minutes left that they would not relinquish.
Gary Payton gave them great minutes, a defensive ace and ball mover on offense. Steve Kerr made a big switch, putting Otto Porter Jr. in the starting lineup, and it worked. Bjelica even locked up Tatum and Brown for a sec in Game 4.
Everyone chipped in. But as always, Steph was the biggest reason why they were there, back to claim what is rightfully his.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock of Game 6 and the emotion poured out of Steph, we got to see how much this one truly meant. We got to see the heart of a Champion.
The Empire Strikes Back was complete, and Steph finally got his Finals MVP.
Before the 2019-20 season (after KD left), we stated: The Warriors Dynasty cannot be pronounced dead so long as Steph, Klay and Dray are repping the blue and gold.
It’s safe to say that the Warriors Dynasty is alive and well.
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Additional Notes
With Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman, the Warriors are the rare champions that have a clear and most promising bridge to the future.
The Warriors record at home in the playoffs? 11-1.
The Warriors record at home during the first year at Chase Center in 2019-20? 8-26.
From light years ahead to the G League — and now back to the top of the mountain.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
With the gang back together, it’s hard not to have a Golden State of Mind. Over 47.5 wins.
Warriors 2021-22 record: (53-29)
Oh yes!
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What’s Next?
With the #28 pick in the draft, the Warriors selected Patrick Baldwin Jr. from Milwaukee. By all accounts, it sounds like a very Warriors pick. And in the second round, they picked Ryan Rollins, who unfortunately has a stress fracture in his foot and will miss Summer League.
Kevon Looney and GP2 are the big free agents here. Bob Meyers and the Warriors are surely going to do everything they can to keep their guys, but that luxury tax bill is going to be monumental.
The West will be better, and the defending Champs always have a target on their backs.
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Favorite Warriors Highlights of the 2021-22 Season:
Never underestimate the heart of a Champion.
