Golden State Warriors: Best And Worst Case Scenarios for Next Season

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson instructs against the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013-2014 NBA Season: What promises does it hold?

Many teams have strengthened their rosters, especially the teams in the Eastern Conference. Other teams in the Western Conference like the Clippers and the Timberwolves have really done some things to add depth to their rosters as well. The Warriors, of all teams, have actually made a lot of changes. Some for the better, and some for the worst.

Their mistakes were letting free agents Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack sign with other teams. Their good moves included signing Andre Iguodala, Toney Douglas, Jermaine O’Neal, and Mareesse Speights. Seems like enough, right? We will never know until the new season begins. What are we to expect from this team?

Best Case:

Warriors Finish With Home Court Advantage:

Home court advantage, especially for the Warriors, is one of the biggest assets a team could possibly have. The Warriors have one of the best fan bases in the NBA. Even a missed free throw from the opponent will get the crowd amped up in a playoff game. Is that supposed to happen? No, but think about how reassuring it is for a team to have their crowd unwilling to back down from adversity.

Finishing fourth or below would be difficult for the Warriors. First of all, they have to beat the Clippers in the Pacific Division and steal their spot. Second of all, other teams are in competition as well. There are too many superpowers in the Western Conference, and if the Warriors can’t keep up, then they’ll finish below the fourth seed.

Everything Clicks:

Well, it’s not like this isn’t going to happen, but the Warriors need to know that their players can work together. With so many new faces on their roster, which combinations can they form? Can Mark Jackson work out his lineups?

If he gets everything to work on all cylinders, the Warriors will have a defensive unit, the “spark” unit, and the finishing unit. They will have a unit for literally every circumstance. If Jackson can coach them in times of despair as well as times of triumph, the Warriors will be near unstoppable.

Worst Case:

For every two best case scenarios, there are two worst case scenarios that just have to be thrown out there. Bear with me here, as these may become a little uneasy to picuture.

Stephen Curry’s Ankle…You Know:

As soon as you see Curry’s name in worst case, you know it’s about his ankle. This kid has had problems over and over again with the ankle. He only missed four games last year because of it, but he battled through pain in both ankles during the playoffs. The fact that he was able to move and still drain 34-foot shots was incredible.

Unfortunately, however, his history leads us to believe that there’s a chance that he could get injured again. If this happens and he goes down, his extension would have been early, and the Warriors’ may be able to kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. Back to the good old D-League days. Seriously though, who wants that to happen?

Klay Thompson Goes Wrong:

What exactly does “goes wrong” mean. Well, from previous experiences, Thompson is one of the streakiest shooters in the NBA. At times, his inconsistency could have made him a threat, because you never know what you’re going to get, but he’s one of those guys who makes both of the coaches nervous.

Consistency may come with experience, and now that Thompson has had a summer to work with NBA veterans and some of the best young players in the world, then he will be more well-rounded. If he cannot perform as well as he used to be able to, I don’t think Kent Bazemore or Nemanja Nedovic would be the best backups for him.