The Bay is on the rise again. Tonight, they beat the Utah Jazz 129-107. This is their fifth win in a row; eighth in their last 11 games. The 2021 NBA champions and a once untouchable dynasty, it seems that the Golden State Warriors are pacing to restore their position in the race for the title.

The pivotal turn has come through their vocal leader, Draymond Green. After serving two suspensions, he is back to his engaged and calculative self. The former Defensive Player of the Year has helped lift the Warriors into the concurrent indomitable stretch. However, we have seen it in the past, and it has always ended the same way.

A roller coaster ride that is the Golden State Warriors

The only time the Warriors looked this fierce was at the very beginning of the season. They started 6-1 which is amongst the best records in the league. Their roster had, at best, minute changes. The way everything clicked, especially Stephen Curry’s production, made it seem the Warriors were going to have a successful season. As it turns out, October was the only month when they could sustain a winning record.

What followed was a colossal downfall. Problems began rampantly growing. Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, two reliable forces, were exhausted. Their slump aided the disaster that was about to unfold. Green in particular looked irked at their abysmal form and became unstable on the court. He earned two suspensions in a matter of months, the latest lasting for 16 games.

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In that time of turmoil, the Warriors needed something to re-ignite their dormant powers. Jonathan Kuminga’s rise would become the anchor for the same.

The budding forward reached new heights, forming a scoring duo with Steph Curry. His inside scoring helped take defensive pressure off Curry, leaving him space to operate a perimeter offense of his own. At its peak, the duo was averaging 55 points per game amongst the top five scoring tandems in the NBA.

From there, when Green came back, everything changed. He wasn’t his frantic and impulsive self. Rather, Dray looked calmer than ever. His focus shifted back to the game and the Warriors, instead of the anger that developed inside. Steve Kerr made an important change when he came back. He began starting Green at the five. That would be the transforming move for the Warriors.

In his last 10 games, Green has a net differential of +118, the best figure amongst the Warriors. In their unbeaten 5-game streak, they have a defensive rating of 103.7, the best in the NBA. Their offense ranks 8th. Least to say, something has surely changed. The Warriors have snapped and realized the need to deliver results and give hope to a starving Dub Nation.

However, we saw something similar last season. It ended with the organization flaring out early in the playoffs.

Stephen Curry & Warriors – Will it be a disappointment again this year?

During the previous season, the Warriors saw a similar fate. Curry had to miss time due to recurring injuries. Wiggins was dealing with a private matter that kept him out of action for most of the season. Then, of course, there was the infamous incident involving Green punching former teammate Jordan Poole during a practice session. The team was always under the microscope. For a franchise that won a title just months ago, they started the season 3-7.

All season long they lingered around .500 territory. They were bound for the Play-In Tournament for sure. But once again, a fiery streak came alive during the final stages of the regular season. They won 8 of their last 10 games and hustled their way to the 6th seed. In the first round, they dealt with a competitive Sacramento Kings, who had a revolutionary campaign themselves.

It took seven games and a Stephen Curry 50-piece to kill off the Kings. The next challenge was the Los Angeles Lakers, who were coming from the Play-In. Judging from their consistency and the regular season, the Warriors had the edge. But the Lakers got the better of them. Their season ended underwhelmingly, exiting in the second round of the postseason.

Ultimately, their late-season bloom was merely a fiery stretch of games. Preserving such a standard comes with consistency throughout the season. Look at a team like the Denver Nuggets.

A reason they won the NBA championship is because the entire group stuck to the plans and strategies conjured at the very beginning. Even though Jamal Murray was returning after missing more than an entire season, he could fit right in. The Nuggets gave him time to set his foot once he returned. The reason he had that luxury was because the other players besides Nikola Jokic took on added responsibility.

READ MORE: “It’s Hard For Him”: Klay Thompson Sympathizes With Stephen Curry, Despite 25-Point Effort

That was never the case for the Warriors. It was always all or nothing. In those late-season spells, the other Warriors assisted Curry, but only for that brief stretch. We are back at that very impasse once again!

The final verdict on the reformed Warriors

With the way the GSW are playing right now, they are probably the best team in the NBA. Draymond Green has taken his seat as the tone-setter and leader. Stephen Curry is putting up ludicrous numbers. Kuminga, Wiggins, and Thompson—all are chiming in with meaningful contributions.

The question is, how is it any different from what we saw earlier this year and at the end of last year?

The eventual scenario always lands in the postseason. As mentioned earlier, it took a 50-point outburst from Stephen Curry for the Warriors to beat the Sacramento Kings in the first round. He was a marvel, averaging 33.7 points per game. The next best? Klay Thompson at 20.6 and Wiggins averaging 18. It was the quintessential display from the trio. Ultimately, it only lasted for those seven games.

Against the Lakers, the same old story replayed itself. Curry couldn’t be an unstoppable scorer but still averaged 26.7 points per game, but others were frivolous. Thompson and Poole, two of the preferred scorers behind the Chef shot under 40% the entire series. Wiggins helped, but it wasn’t nearly enough to substitute for Curry’s shortcomings. And for the entire series, the Lakers were only looking to strangle Stephen Curry, which means a lot more freedom and space for the other players.

So, can we say what we are witnessing right now is any different?

It’s tough to say!

Since losing Poole, the scoring onus has fallen heavily on Curry’s shoulders. Albeit, in these past five games, there have been even contributions from everyone. Green has become the general controlling the entire offensive system. Wiggins, averaging a career-low in points, is having his most prolific stretch. Tonight, Thompson took over when Curry fell short and scored 26 to lead all scorers. Finally, Kuminga has become a brilliant wing addition as a starter.

The reason this year looks more promising is because of their depth. Brandon Podziemski, Kevon Looney, Moses Moody, Dario Šarić, and Gary Payton II are guys who can have a profound impact on the playoff picture. They stretch the floor, provide size, and can help in getting stops. However, it isn’t convincing enough to deem the Warriors as legit contenders.

A lot of problems are yet to be addressed, the biggest being consistency. They might be at their best for 10 consecutive games. But what about when the pressure is at its zenith and every game needs such productivity? It is still possible, no doubt. But the prospect of this stretch being indicative of the rest of the season seems outlandish.

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