Golden State Warriors
The 2024-25 Golden State Warriors can be defined by making a serious run after trading for Jimmy Butler but losing in the second round in five games without Steph.
What did we learn?
It was a roller coaster of a season for the Dubs.
They started 12-3, looking like a seriously deep team. (Narrator: they were not.)
It looked so good at first that some dared to even mention Strength in Numbers. (Narrator: a mummer’s farce.)
At first, Buddy Hield filled in seamlessly in the Klay spot until Buddy’s honeymoon phase abruptly ended as it always seems to. Then De’Anthony Melton went down, an important subtraction that has been far overlooked.
The “foundation” severely cracked and the schedule got immensely more difficult.
Two months later and the Warriors found themselves below .500 with a record of 25-26 just before the All-Star Break.
That’s when both the Warriors and Heat got desperate enough to make a Jimmy Butler trade finally happen. The Heat had to move on, cutting their losses, and the Warriors had to bring in some help for Steph.
It was a roll of the dice that worked. Bringing Jimmy Butler to The Bay brought forth new life for Jimmy, he “got his joy back,” and it was exactly what this team needed.
Where it previously looked like the Warriors were left for dead, Jimmy Butler’s arrival rejuvenated this team, infusing them with heart and soul.
The Dubs were rollin’ and flowing. They closed out the season 23-8 with a top-10 offense and the No. 1 defense in the NBA over that span.
But more and more often, aging stars are having trouble with the constant ramped up intensity of the playoff jungle.
The Warriors survived the first round vs. the Rockets thanks to Steph and Buddy’s Game 7 heroics. Buddy caught fire and drained nine 3s en route to 33 points.
The second round was not favorable at all, however. Steph pulled a hammy in the second quarter of Game 1 and wouldn’t play another minute. And Playoff Jimmy no showed, hobbled with his own lower back injury.
And so, it was wraps against the young and hungry and deep Wolves. Five games was all it took.
Poof.
The Dubs strong end-of-the-season run was that and that alone.
From Light Years ahead (2014-2018)
to the G League (2019-20)
back to the top of the mountain (2021-22)
and now stuck in the middle of the Wild Wild West (2023-present)…
Can the Warriors manage one last grasp with Steph, Dray and now Jimmy?
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Additional Notes
Brandin Podziemski didn’t improve much from his rookie to sophomore year, but he also didn’t regress or have a sophomore slump. Good Podz games usually resulted in dubs. The Warriors went 15-6 when he scored 15+ points.
He didn’t play more than 10 minutes in a game until Jan. 20, but Quinten Post emerged as a stretch 5 and 7-footer with 3-point range. An interesting wrinkle to this offense that hasn’t really had that kind of layer since… KD.
The curious case of Jonathan Kuminga. Steve Kerr DNP’ed Kuminga in the most important game of the season, Game 82 vs. the Clippers that the Warriors lost in OT. He was DNP’ed again in the first round until they needed him when Jimmy went down. Then Kuminga went back to a DNP again… Then he led the team in scoring twice in the second round after Steph’s injury. It was a merry-go-round that never really made sense.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
We like the vets they added too much. Over 44.5 wins.
Warriors 2024-25 record: (48-34)
Yes sir! Thanks to the arrival of Jimmy and strong finish to the season.
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What’s Next?
Finding some true size and depth at the center position would be helpful. Rebounding has been an issue here for a while now.
Kuminga is a restricted free agent and it definitely seems like a done deal that the Warriors will move him in a sign-and-trade.
Keep Steph and Jimmy on the court when it matters most.
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Favorite Warriors Highlight of the 2024-25 Season:
Supernova Steph, HELLO THERE.
