Warriors starting to hit stride during 12-game win streak
The next thing anyone knows, the Warriors are 16-2. They have run off 12 victories in a row. They have a double-digit win streak for the fourth season in a row, they have the best offensive rating in the league by a wide margin, and have an improving defense, all while playing more times on the road (10) than at home (eight).
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On the other hand, they’re on pace to only win 73 games, just like a season ago, so there is the obvious question surrounding coach Steve Kerr’s job security. Indications are that Kerr will survive to work Friday (AEDT) against the Rockets at Oracle Arena and probably even clear into next week, although there is no confirmation from the nonsense factory that gave oxygen to Klay Thompson trade rumors a couple weeks ago. (Obviously the front office did salary-cap gymnastics in the summer to sign Kevin Durant just to break the team up after 12 or 15 games.)
The actual debate, minus sarcasm, is whether 16-2 is more impressive than 18-0 last season, en route to a record 24-0 opening, because that team was established and mostly settled beyond the health issues that forced Kerr’s absence and this one is anything but. Durant is here. Two starters from back-to-back Western Conference champions, Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes, are not. The bench is different. A rookie second-round pick, Patrick McCaw, is averaging 13.9 minutes. And yet, 16-2, 12 in a row, top of the West.
While the start to 2015-16 probably holds an edge over its time-travel opponent — the defense was better back in the day, the way the Warriors owned opponents felt a lot more bug-vs.-windshield — this progress is about the best-case scenario as the 2016-17 season approaches the quarter pole. It may even be better than best case, a heady statement considering the expectations for the season.
“If I had to be 100 percent honest with you, I think we’re ahead of where I thought we would be right now,” All-Star Draymond Green said. “I just thought it would take a little longer to adjust to everything and yet everything’s coming together. There will be times when it doesn’t look like we’re together and of course we’ll have that one game where we suck and everybody will say, ‘Oh, man. It’s not working.’ Even if it came after 20 straight wins it’ll be like, ‘Aw, man….