Golden State Warriors: 20-1
In case Klay Thompson ends up becoming that significant extension before the Oct. 31 deadline, then he must consider giving some of it to new Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, whose opened-up offense has been producing nothing but quality looks for its shooting guard during the preseason.
Thompson can keep the majority of the cash; the vast majority of his improvement has to do with killer assurance and a perfect launch. We can not credit Kerr for all those items.
What is happening with Thompson is a symptom of a bigger change in Golden State–one which is giving rise to the expectation that last year’s 51-win campaign was only the beginning.
B/R’s Howard Beck chronicled the difficulties with former head coach Mark Jackson’s strategy of attack:”The crime too frequently stalled and stagnated, leading to muddled isolation plays and contested jumpers. There was little motion or dynamism, and little awareness of cohesion.”
Already among the league’s top defensive outfits (the Warriors ranked third in defensive efficiency last year), Kerr’s club is shifting the ball beautifully on crime. Andrew Bogut and David Lee, great passers equally, are now hubs of this assault, and Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala et al. are feasting on cuts, flares and brush screens.
All this, and Kerr has only had a couple of months to set up the basics of his admittedly complex scheme.
If Golden State gets beyond the turnovers that hurt it last year and proceeded to crop up throughout the preseason, it’s the group with the best shot to choose among the West’s best 3 places from the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Los Angeles Clippers or San Antonio Spurs.
If that happens, Thompson won’t be lonely in owing a debt to Kerr. Fans across the Bay Area will be right there with him.
