Warriors Have Work To Do in Offseason
Added on May 17, 2013 by Scott in
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The 2012-13 Golden State Warriors made things interesting and exciting in the Western Conference Semifinals, but when all was said and done the San Antonio Spurs were the bigger, better and more patient team. There’s no shame in losing to the Spurs, who never seem to panic and are capable of adapting to several different styles of play. There’s a reason why Gregg Popovich has four titles and a pair of Coach of the Year awards. So, the Warriors are on the right track, but changes must occur before next season for them to take the next step toward the Finals.
Put Curry in attack mode – Stephen Curry is already a rising talent, but the playoffs proved he is a legitimate superstar in the making and the league’s deadliest sniper. He even endured an aching ankle without missing time, which displayed admirable toughness. However, for all his long-range prowess, Curry has to elevate his game by attacking the basket more. The Spurs did an excellent job of diagnosing screens and challenging his shots. Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook explode to the rim. Curry needs to do the same to keep defenders from crowding the perimeter.
Get stronger – The Warriors showed plenty of fight, but they are still a finesse team that relies on three-pointers to win. The Spurs wore them down with a deeper, more physical lineup. The injury to David Lee obviously hurt them in the paint and on the glass. A healthy Lee will remedy some problems, but guys like Andrew Bogut, Carl Landry and Festus Ezeli need to get nastier or go. Adding one or two inside brawlers via trade or free agency should be at the top of the offseason to-do list.
Unleash Barnes – Rookie Harrison Barnes showed glimpses of the kind of small forward he can be in Games 4 and 5 when he netted 51 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. The soon to be 21-year-old has much to learn, but his athletic skill-set will pay huge dividends once he reels it in and becomes a consistent producer. 15 points and 6 rebounds a night aren’t unrealistic numbers to aim for in 2014.
Learn from mistakes – Young players have a tendency of ignoring what went wrong. They’d rather forget and move on. However, doing that won’t serve this team well going forward. If head coach Mark Jackson is smart, he’ll force his charges to watch the Spurs game tape over and over again until they recognize the mistakes that sent them packing.
