"How We Get Things Done" by the Golden State Warriors

{Atlanta Hawks will be continued in a separate article after this one}

All-Star Weekend is here and it is now time to just kick back and watch the best of the best from the Eastern and Western Conference due battle on the court. Unfortunately, I am not a All-Star watcher. I want this weekend to hurry up so that the season can continue because it is time to start seeing which teams will begin the big push to earn a playoff berth or which teams will begin to fall apart and let things squeeze through the cracks. So far, there are two teams that are making everything look so simple in two entirely different fashions: The Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks. For some, this may be a bit of shock if you have not been keeping up with sports or what is happening in the NBA because both teams, while well equipped and talented, were seen as potentially not being anything to be wow'd at for all their different reasons.

Golden State decided it was time
to bring back the old school logo.

For this first article, we have the Golden State Warriors. Right now, the Warriors are sitting relatively comfy being first in the Pacific Division and Western Conference because of their amazing 42-9 overall record, in which a majority of the victories came at home (23-2 at home) along with a 19-game winning streak at home in the Oracle Arena that eventually was ended by the "streak-enders" and my hometown boys, the Chicago Bulls (just a little side note). While Golden State is first in their division, the Los Angeles Clippers are behind them in second by 8.5 games despite having a 35-19 record. Behind them in the Western Conference Standings in the Memphis Grizzlies who are just 4 games back while 39-14 record. Stats wise, the Warriors are up there also as they rank 1st in points per game (110.6), 5th in rebounds (45.1), 1st in assists (27.2), and 15th in points allowed (99.6).  Despite all those incredible numbers, they have been most impressive after having quite a rough offseason after seeing their head coach Marc Jackson fired after having a shaky yet impressive 121-109 record in three years with the team.

Say what you may about Steve Kerr, the man must know
what he is doing in order to have Golden State looking so good.

After the news broke about coach Jackson being fired, the big question was now about who would be the team's new head coach. Enter Steve Kerr. Similar to Marc Jackson, Kerr played point guard in the NBA, but for the Chicago Bulls during their runs in the 1990s with Michael Jordan. Kerr was seen as a top choice by many teams looking to hire themselves a strong minded and spirited head coach despite the fact that he had never had any previous head coaching experience ever before. What really makes Steve Kerr so valuable is not just he played with the "Unstoppa-Bulls" of '90s, it is really that he is an innovative mind that gained a lot from learning under the legendary head coach Phil Jackson during his time as a player. Not to mention he has that outbursting energy from time to time that Jackson used to show on the sidelines.

Once they had hired him, experts were all over the place as to where the team would be this season. Some believed that they would be successful, but that it would come from the fact that they had a group of young and highly talented individuals that had some solid chemistry with one another and could score on you any way possible. Others were saying that Kerr would try to be "too" innovative and try to install a system or plays that were just not necessary or would not fit the Warriors' skill sets. I feel it's safe to say he proved them wrong when Kerr and Warriors won all of their first five games, and then go on a 15-game winning streak after dropping their sixth and seventh game of the season.

Stephen Curry may have the sweetest &
smoothest jump shot of the NBA's point guards

Of course Steve Kerr is not alone in this machine. After all, he has quite a talented team. The team's biggest star is and certainly has got to be Stephen Curry. The 6'3" point guard who came out of Davidson University could quite possibly be the best three point scorer we have seen since the Ray Allen, who I think it sticking around the NBA just so he can try to make his career three point record just a little bit harder for Curry to shoot towards. But that what he does: shoots. Every single time I see him with the ball, it's already a guarantee score for Golden State. I mean I just have to believe that if you put him at any spot of the court, he is more than likely going to sink it through. Curry is currently averaging 23.6 points/game, 7.9 assists/game, and 2.16 steals/game with a field goal percentage of about 48%, three point percentage of almost 40%, and a free throw percentage of 90%.

At this rate, Klay Thompson may
become one of the best pure shooting guards
 in the history of the NBA

Playing along side Curry is possibly the NBA's best pure shooting guards right now named Klay Thompson. Well noted when coming out of Washington State, he was known for his ability to hit open shots in those clutch situations. He not only he can do that, but he also has the ability to take over games. His best moment thus far has been him dropping 52 points in a 126-101 victory against the Sacramento Kings where he scored 37 of the 52 points in just the third quarter alone while shooting 9-for-9 from three point and 100% all around that quarter. All I found myself saying was "wow" with my jaw down to the floor and no other words to explain what I had just laid witness to that night. Thompson's stats are currently sitting at 22.1 points/game, 2.9 assists/game, and 1.2 steals/game along with a field goal percentage of 47%, three point percentage of 44%, and free throw percentage of 86%.

Although these two are the players that stand out the most of the team, much of the thanks for their defensive push comes from players such as Marreese Speights, David Lee, and Andrew Bogut with their ability to maintain down low, protect the drive lanes, fight to dominate every rebounding chance. Others like Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala benefit as the teams' best dual threat weapons for both offense and defense in being able to secure rebounds and steals while also contributing to the NBA's top scoring team. All that combined with the strong effort they are able to get from their other bench players, it's no wonder Golden State has been so solid all year.

Stephen Curry (far right), Draymond Green (mid right),
Andrew Bogut (center), Klay Thompson, (mid left),
and David Lee (far left)

It's safe to say that the Golden State Warriors are definitely the top choice to win the NBA championship this year when you look at just what they are able to accomplish and in the fashion they are able to do so. However, only time will tell now that the final turn of the race is about to come. It's not to say they'll lose their spot in the playoffs (that's very doubtful), but the playoffs have always been one of mystery and not much can really be speculated about what may happen. After all, upsets have happened before, and they can certainly happen again.

{Atlanta Hawks will be continued in a separate article after this one}