NBA Team Preview:  Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are trying to step up after finishing the regular season going 39-33 last season, which was good enough for ninth in the Western Conference. They lost in the play-in game to the Los Angeles Lakers and are getting healthier with Klay Thompson returning to their championship nucleus. 

Big Additions

It’s not technically an addition since he’s been a Warrior since he was drafted but this is the big return of shooting guard Klay Thompson, who has been injured since the 2019 NBA Finals and has been rehabbing from a torn ACL and a ruptured Achilles injury. 

In terms of actual moves the team made during the offseason, they decided to sign Nemanja Bjelica, Avery Bradley, Chris Chiozza, Andre Iguodala, and Otto Porter Jr during the free agency period. They also drafted Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh-overall pick and Moses Moody 14th in the NBA Draft. 

Impactful Subtractions

The Golden State Warriors had a handful of players leave the team during the offseason as both Langston Galloway and Alen Smailagic were waived while Kent Bazemore signed with the Lakers, Kelly Oubre Jr signed with the Hornets, and Eric Paschall was traded to the Utah Jazz. 

They also have a couple of players that are still on the free-agent market as of this writing as Jordan Bell is an unrestricted free agent while Nico Mannion is a restricted free agent. 

Key Players

Things start and end with point guard Stephen Curry. He finished leading the league in scoring with 32 points while adding 5.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He did that while shooting 48.2 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 91.6 from the free-throw line. 

Another key player is a power forward Draymond Green, who has been the glue guy for the franchise and has done the dirty work. Last season, he averaged seven points, 7.1 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 1.7 steals in 31.5 minutes per game. 

2021-22 Win Total Odds

The Golden State Warriors are currently tied for the seventh-highest win totals with the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat with 48.5 wins this season. The Western Conference will be extremely difficult to navigate but I expect the Warriors to win 50 games and be a top-four seed in the postseason.

* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.