To say the 2022-23 Warriors are mercurial would be an understatement. Their whims are as fickle as a leaf blowing in the wind.
There are nights, like Game 6 against the Kings, when they look lost, borderline disinterested in the game of basketball. And there are other times, starting in the second quarter of Game 2, when they look serious about repeating as champions.
But even in the first quarter of Thursday night’s eventual 127-100 rout, there were doubts.
Los Angeles built up a seven-point first quarter lead. LeBron James had *that* look in his eyes. He’d end up scoring 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting in the first half before going 1-of-5 and tallying 2 points in the second half.
The Warriors, though, love the chess match of every NBA series. They might be a little more methodical with their counters than should be the case, but they almost always get them right.
With Kevon Looney coming down ill two hours before game time, Steve Kerr injected JaMychal Green into the starting lineup.
He’s nowhere near the defender Looney is, but he offers a legitimate 3-point threat and played solid post defense.
Call that fate or happenstance, but the change made a massive difference. Green scored 15 points, going 3-of-6 from deep. The spacing that provided allowed for a lot more cutting and easy points in the paint, which also made the 3-pointers easier to come by.
As the Lakers attacked Stephen Curry, Curry diced them up, waiting patiently for his scoring opportunities. He picked up 7 points and 7 assists in the first half, letting Draymond Green drive and kick and often find Klay Thompson.
Both were vintage, with Green posting 11 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists while preventing another Anthony Davis takeover. Thompson posted a ruthlessly efficient 30 points, going 8-of-11 from deep.
It was a two-quarter avalanche of points that felt a little bit like the days of old, when Golden State would end the game in the third quarter. By the start of the fourth, both Davis and James were sitting on the bench. They would not return.
So, yes, this team is still capable of that.
And despite their horrific, 11-30 road record in the regular season, it didn’t seem to matter much against the Kings. Before that series, they’d never faced a 2-0 deficit. They made a stand in Sacramento in Game 5 and again in Game 7 as Curry set them alight like a human blowtorch.
They are, yes, still capable of responding against pressure.
It just feels far less reliable than it has in the past. Every outcome feels in play for this team.
Last year, it seemed decidedly like the Warriors were back. You could feel it early on in the playoffs once Curry, Thompson and Green all got on the court, finally, at the same time. They were a juggernaut with some veteran bench pieces you felt like you knew what to expect from.
This time around, the championship outlook for this team feels more like, “Sure, I guess? Or not. Either way.”
We’re all just along for this ride, one which feels as precarious and unpredictable as it has since the beginning of the dynasty.
When in doubt, though, remember that the Warriors still have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. As much as the clock on the dynasty seems set to expire, those three are doggedly defiant in allowing that to happen.
With Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and a gritty mix of players like Gary Payton II, Moses Moody, Donte DiVincenzo, and even JaMychal Green, there’s still reason to believe they have enough support to win a championship.
Even if I, you, everyone doesn’t fully believe they will.