By Lenn Robbins
Are they a dynasty? Do the Golden State deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the Showtime Lakers on the 80’s or the 90’s Chicago Bulls? Do the Celtics of the 60’s have a case?
Does star Steph Curry deserve to be mentioned in the GOAT conversion? Is he as great as Michael Jordan, or LeBron James, or Magic Johnson?
Is Steve Kerr one of the greatest to ever coach the game. Does he walk with Red Auerbach or Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich
Before you vent with rage, consider this scenario:
The Warriors win their fifth NBA title in the last nine years. The Bulls won six in eight years. The Lakers won 10 in 12 years.
Curry wins the league’s MVP, his third. Jordan has five of those trophies on the mantel. LeBron has four. Magic has three.
Kerr has won 68.2-percent of his games and one Coach of the Year honor.
Red Auerbach’s winning percent is 65.9 percent and he also won only one Coach of the Year award, which is curious considering the trophy is now named after the Celtics legend.
Phil Jackson’s winning percentage is 67.6. He, too, has one Coach of the Year honor. Gregg Popovich’s numbers are a 65.7-percent winning percent and three coach of the year honors.
Just looking at the numbers suggests that the Warriors, Curry, and Kerr can hold their own in most debates – especially if they win it all in 2022-23.
Their case seemed a lot stronger just a few weeks ago. The Warriors lost Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II in free agency but brought in Dante DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green.
James Wiseman, the team’s first round draft choice in 2020 (2nd overall), is poised to take the next step and perhaps join the rotation. Jonathan Kuminga, last year’s No.1 pick (seventh overall), played in 70 games as a rookie, averaging 9.3 points and 3.3 rebounds and should push for a starting role.
Most of all, Klay Thompson, who returned in the last third of 2021-2022 season after missing the last two years to injury, should be closer to 100-percent than he was at any point last season. Thompson and Curry can play HORSE from halfcourt.
But then the Warriors blew a gasket, at least forward Draymond Green did. Caught on video was a clip of Green losing his temper with guard Jordan Poole, the team’s No.1 pick in 2019 (No. 28) and clocking him with a brutal, roundhouse punch in practice. 😝
Fortunately, Poole was not injured. But damage was done. Green took a leave of absence. He was not fined or suspended. He returned to the team after a week away. All seems forgiven.
Maybe.
“I trust him,” Kerr told reporters. “He broke our trust with this incident, but I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt because I think he’s earned that, and I think our team feels the same way. So he knows he needs to regain that.”
The 2022-2023 NBA season tips off Tuesday night with two games that might prove to be previews of the Western and Eastern Conference Finals. Golden State begins the defense of its title by hosting LeBron and the Lakers. The Celtics, who lost to the Warriors in the NBA Finals, host the Philadelphia 76ers.
If the Warriors can win back-to-back titles, it will mark the second time in history they’ve done so. Golden State won in 2017-2018. It will be another reason to consider the franchise’s all-time greatness.
The Warriors posted the winningest season in NBA history, going 73-9 in 2016, but lost in the Finals. The Bulls went 72-10 in 1996 and won it all.
Let the debate begin – Lakers, Bulls, those Celtics teams of the 60s, or the Warriors? This season just might answer the question.
BetBasics NBA Predictions
Eastern Conference Champions
Lenn Robbins – Heat; Nick Brinkerhoff – Nets, Anthony Licciardi – 76ers
Western Conference Champs
Robbins – Warriors; Brinkerhoff -Warriors; Licciardi – Clippers
NBA Champions
Robbins – Warriors; Brinkerhoff – Warriors; Licciardi – 76ers
MVP
Robbins – Curry, Warriors; Brinkerhoff – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks; Licciardi – Luka Doncic, Mavericks
Coach of the Year
Robbins – Jason Kidd, Mavericks; Brinkerhoff – Chris Finch; Licciardi – Willie Green, Pelicans.
Rookie of the Year
Robbins – Bennedict Mathurin, Pacers; Brinkerhoff –Paolo Banchero, Magic; Licciardi – Mathurin