Golden State Warriors Mailbag: X-Factor, Grizzlies, Rockets, Spurs
Mar 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and guard Andre Iguodala (9) celebrate after Iguodala’s basket against the Utah Jazz during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Utah Jazz 106-91. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
I know Stevie asked for just one player, but I have to give three. But there is reasoning behind why I picked these players.
The Warriors’ opponents in the playoffs will focus the majority of their defensive energy on containing the Splash Brothers, and Warriors fans know that both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will do whatever they can to produce on offense, impact the game in many ways, and will their team to win.
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However, the Warriors’ true x-factors in the playoffs will be players such as Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, and even Harrison Barnes. If Curry and Thompson do struggle offensively, these three players are going to have to find ways to score to pick up the slack.
In addition, even if Curry and Thompson are rolling and scoring somewhat easily and efficiently, Green, Iguodala, and Barnes will still have to knock down shots to make the opposing defense work harder. If those three players are knocking down shots consistently, then the defense can’t focus on just Curry and Thompson. The opponent will have to utilize a more even approach on defense, which will make the Warriors’ offense thrive.
When these three players are scoring consistently, especially from three-point range, the Warriors become near unstoppable on offense, which fuels their defense and their transition game. The Warriors’ well-balanced approach can be lethal, so these three need to step up on offense in order for the Warriors to become harder to guard and harder to predict, which is essential in the playoffs.
Next: Ideal Second Round Matchup