Experience- a ten letter word expected to carry you tenfold. Holding the NBA’s best record, at 44-10 the Bay Area’s Golden State Warriors arguably possess the NBA’s most likable and entertaining bunch. Who could really dislike these guys?
Whether it’s the three-point tandem of the Splash Brothers in MVP candidate Stephen Curry and the NBA’s all-time leader in points in a quarter with 37 in Klay Thompson, the versatility of Draymond Green to stuff stat sheets similar to that of Andrei “AK47” Kirilenko in years of his prime, the defensive prowess of Andre Iguodala off the bench, or the development of former Tar Heel swingman Harrison Barnes, the Warriors are a team that possesses nit and grit any coach would yearn and dream for. Just ask Steve Kerr, who has said on multiple occasions he was close to taking the head coaching job of the NBA’s worst team, the New York Knicks, due to him feeling indebted to his mentor, Phil Jackson.
For all the success the Golden State Warriors have had as of now in the 2014-2015 campaign, the team doesn’t possess a slew of playoff experience. Moreover, no player on their current roster has ever made it past the Western Conference Finals. More alarming, the player that has made it to the Western Conference Finals is a player who sees minimal court time in third-string PG Leandro Barbosa. Barbosa, plays slightly over a quarter a game, logging 13.5 minutes a contest. On the contrary, almost the entire Warriors core has tasted the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2012-2013 season having come up short to the San Antonio Spurs. Not to forget, playing in a nitty-gritty seven game series in the 2013-2014 season against the Los Angeles Clippers.
A common conception is that the trials and tribulations of playoff experience propels teams to greater heights. Yet, along with playoff experience comes playoff expectations. As your team’s postseason games total racks up, your expectations rise as well. First round exits no longer become acceptable and second round departures become demoralizing. Fans and players alike want to see the team take the next step and patience is no longer a virtue; fans and players alike expect the team to grasp the brass ring and to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy at seasons end. However, the Golden State Warriors lack of experience is actually a blessing in disguise as opposed to a curse in the open.
Barring any major setbacks, the Warriors will at minimum clinch home court advantage in the first round. This itself is an accomplishment that former beloved Warriors Head Coach Mark Jackson was unable to achieve in his three years at the helm. Even more impressive, the accomplishment would be coming from a man who is on his first year on the job in Steve Kerr. Not only is this Kerr’s first year on the sidelines for the Warriors, it is his first year on the sidelines period. To add further merit, Kerr isn’t in the lackluster Eastern Conference, but in the ultra competitive Western Conference. It isn’t a stretch to say that Kerr will surpass Paul Westphal’s regular season record of 62 wins for a rookie head coach. Moreover, it’s more likely as opposed to unlikely. As long as the Warriors do not suffer a first round exit or an early second round exit, many purists will say Kerr has succeeded in his first year on the job. Kerr’s lack of experience doesn’t mean he’s walking on eggshells, rather he is expected to undergo pitfalls which lessens his magnitude of pressure. In essence, the pressure placed on Kerr will not match that of a Scott Brooks.
Just as Kerr isn’t walking on a tightrope, the nucleus of the Warriors is intact for at least one more season. With the exception of Draymond Green, Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Barnes, Bogut and Lee are all under contract for the 2015-2016 season, if not beyond. Fortunately for the Warriors, they do hold Green’s Bird Rights. As a result, they can match any contract offer submitted to the undersized four in the frontcourt. While the Warriors are certainly playing for now, their window isn’t limited to this season, their window isn’t shut, and their window is only opening further. They are not the Brooklyn Nets of 2013-2014 who put all their eggs in one basket trading for Boston’s Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry, players who were all at the tail end of their careers. The Warriors boast youth and potential and have the opportunity to be a powerhouse for years.
Unlike Jackson, Kerr isn’t facing the heavy expectations Jackson was in his third, and what proved to inevitably be his final year. While GM Bob Meyers has been on record as stating the team sets lofty expectations, its more than safe to say Kerr won’t be expected to achieve a title in year one. His job will not be in jeopardy regardless of how his team fares in the playoffs. Kerr’s job is practically as safe as Gregg Popovich’s for the 2015-2016 season.
The Warriors certainly possess the talent to be the final team standing at season’s conclusion in June. However, the expectations of them aren’t as high as they are for a team such as the Cleveland Cavaliers or the San Antonio Spurs. As a result, the lack of pressure is something the Warriors can and will gladly use to their benefit. The Warriors are just as dangerous as the forenamed teams, and may well be the NBA’s most dangerous team period.