By Daniel “The Sports Hound” Trawick
(@TheSportsHound) of sportshoundblog.com
Contributor of AGSH
The Golden State Warriors are off to their best start (15-7) since they broke up the high-powered Run TMC core of Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin after 1991. It’s no surprise that it all starts with their head coach Mark Jackson, who finally got the chance to become a coach last season. Add the deadline trades last season and their draft picks the past few years and you have the perfect formula.
Last season the Warriors went from a small-ball run-and-gun style team led by Monta Ellis to a team with solid big men who can run the floor. David Lee and oft-injured Andrew Bogut are perfect for that style of play. Bogut hasn’t been able to stay healthy, but Lee is off to another great start this season averaging 19 ppg & 11 rpg. Add the solid off-season acquisitions of Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack and you have a deeper bench with players who know their roles.
The Warriors main success comes from their recent 4 draft classes starting with Stephen Curry in 2009, who’s having his best season of his young career. Curry is averaging almost 20 ppg & 7 apg and proving to be a leader under the tutelage of coach Jackson. Their 2010 Epke Udoh was one of the main pieces used in the Ellis/Bogut trade.
Klay Thompson was the focus of the 2011 draft and has improved in one season in the NBA. Their other 2011 draft pick Charles Jenkins also sees minutes on a nightly basis, but doesn’t get a lot of burn off the bench. The 3 top picks of the 2012 draft all have major roles on the team this season, with Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green.
Mark Jackson is getting the best out of his young players and is creating the same type of winning attitude that the young Oklahoma City Thunder have under their coach Scott Brooks. The Warriors have a young core of potential stars in Curry, Thompson and Barnes and you add in the all-star potential veterans in Lee and Bogut and you create a recipe for success.
For more articles by Daniel “The Sports Hound” Trawick, visit: www.sportshoundblog.com
