An NBA dynasty reborn? Why the Warriors could be more dangerous than you think

A decennary aft winning the archetypal of 4 titles to commencement a dynasty, the Golden State Warriors person seemingly been passed by the remainder of the Western Conference.

According to ESPN BET, the Warriors person conscionable the seventh-best likelihood to triumph the West this season, down the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and LA Clippers.

That placement makes immoderate sense. Golden State was the No. 7 effect past season, bowed retired successful 5 games successful the 2nd circular and could boast the oldest starting lineup successful NBA past this season. If Buddy Hield joins Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Draymond Green and Al Horford successful the starting lineup aft Hield's day connected Dec. 17, the Warriors would beryllium the archetypal squad to commencement 5 players 33 oregon older successful a game, according to ESPN Research.

But that quick, pessimistic summary severely underrates Golden State's potential. In contrast, the Warriors illustration arsenic 1 of the astir unsafe teams successful the West, adjacent successful their dotage, and they mightiness adjacent beryllium capable to vie with the omnipotent Thunder. The NBA's last repetition champion could beryllium a sleeper that stops the newest campaigner from repeating.

A afloat play with Curry and Butler

Projections from ESPN's Kevin Pelton spot the Warriors 2nd successful the full NBA, with a forecast of 56 wins -- person to the apical of the West than to the play-in information of the standings.

What explains the discrepancy betwixt that projection and the wide cognition that the Warriors' model has closed? Here's the elemental explanation: In fractional a play with Butler, the Warriors were 1 of the champion teams successful the league, and they improved successful the offseason. By that logic, they should beryllium a contender again this season.

Golden State upset the second-seeded Rockets successful the archetypal circular and took Game 1 against the Timberwolves earlier moving retired of steam without Curry, who suffered a hamstring strain 13 minutes into the series. There's nary shame successful losing that way, arsenic immoderate contender would expect to conflict without its champion player.

Don't fto the 2024-25 Warriors' meek playoff exit disguise their singular in-season turnaround, though. Before the Butler trade, Golden State was 25-26 with a minus-0.4 nett rating. But from Butler's debut done the extremity of the regular season, it ranked archetypal successful antiaircraft standing and 3rd successful net, astatine plus-9.2 per 100 possessions. The team's 23-8 grounds successful that span -- which extrapolates to 61 wins implicit a afloat play -- wasn't a fluke.

With Curry backmost and Butler connected committee for a afloat season, there's nary crushed to deliberation Go...