The 2020-21 NBA season is already looking promising for the Golden State Warriors. This season, the Warriors already have 12 wins in 24 games played as of Feb. 9, a much better start compared to last season.
The team placed almost dead last in the 2019-20 regular season with a devastatingly low record of 15-50. In the season prior, the team led the Western Conference in games won and made it to the Finals.
However, the Warriors experienced many unfortunate injuries during the 2018-19 season. Klay Thompson, an All-Star for the Warriors, injured himself in the Finals that year. During a practice in late 2020, Thompson tore his right Achilles tendon, forcing him onto the bench this season. A few months after Thompson’s first injury, Stephen Curry also suffered a broken left hand resulting in a 15-50 season for the Warriors.
“One thing that could challenge the Warriors this season is the competition in their region”
The Warriors got the second draft pick in the league for this season. To capitalize off of the opportunity, they picked up James Wiseman as the second overall pick of the draft.
At only 19 years old, Wiseman reaches 7 feet tall. In 2019, Wiseman was ranked as the No. 1 high school basketball player by ESPN. He played as the center for East High School in Memphis, Tennessee. The superstar averaged 25.8 points per game and 14.8 rebounds per game.
Due to Thompson’s injuries, Curry and Draymond Green, two veterans of the team, will have to try to lead the team to the playoffs. Thompson, a five-time All-Star, was one of the major contributors to the Warriors’ playoff runs in the past few years. Without him, the team is at a disadvantage.
Forbes has predicted that the Warriors will barely miss the playoffs, but may be able to make it if they perform well. On Jan. 3, Curry had his career high, scoring 62 points and carrying the team to victory against the Portland Trail Blazers. This outing was the highest amount of points scored by any player since 2017. In the three of six games the Warriors won, Curry scored 30 or more of the Warrior’s points.
In the Jan. 23 loss against the Utah Jazz, Curry passed Reggie Miller to hold the record for second-most career 3-pointers. After the fourth quarter, Curry ended the game with 2,562 3-pointers total in his career. The only person who surpassed Curry is Ray Allen, the Hall of Fame player, with 2,973 3-pointers made.
One thing that could challenge the Warriors this season is the competition in their region. The Warriors will have to compete against the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers to make the playoffs, which will be difficult considering that those teams are some of the best in the league. Last season, the Lakers won the finals against the Miami Heat. The two Los Angeles teams are already asserting their dominance this season, and have established themselves as two of the best teams in the Western Conference.
The Brooklyn Nets are also looking strong, as they traded for eight-time All-Star James Harden. This adds another amazing scorer to the team, leaving them with three superstars: 10-time All-Star Kevin Durant, eight-time All-Star James Harden and six-time All-Star Kyrie Irving.
In the Western Conference, the Clippers remain the biggest rival to the Lakers, with records of 17-8 and 18-6 respectively as of Feb. 8. The Clippers have star players Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in their lineup, who are capable of rivaling LeBron and the Lakers.
The Warriors are already looking better than last season, and they have the chance to make the playoffs. The other two California teams are tied for first in the league and will contend with each other for the number one spot in the Western Conference. With Thompson missing, Curry will have to step up and perform at his A-game if the Warriors want to make the playoffs. Hopefully, with Wiseman, the Warriors will have a promising future in the league.
