NBA.com published the results of their annual general managers survey, and while the results were predictably LeBron James, Spurs and Clippers centric, the Warriors received several individual and collective nods for various positive things.
After a 51-win season and back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in over two decades, the primary question regarding this team is whether they’re a title contender. They’re in the comically stacked Western Conference, after all.
Which team will win the 2015 NBA Finals?
1. San Antonio — 46.2%
2. Cleveland — 15.4%
3. Chicago — 11.5%
L.A. Clippers — 11.5%
Oklahoma City — 11.5%
6. Golden State — 3.8%
Last year: Miami — 75.9%
3.8% may not look like much, but at least the Warriors were mentioned. That’s more than what can be said for Memphis, Dallas, Houston, Portland and Phoenix. This is probably a good time to include the author’s explanation of how they came up with these figures.
The GMs responded to 56 different questions about the best teams, players, coaches, fans and offseason moves. General managers were not permitted to vote for their own team or personnel. Percentages are based on the pool of respondents to each question of the survey, rather than all 30 GMs.
That’s all well and good, but it’s more fun to assume this means that the Warriors have a 3.8% chance to win their first title since 1975. So they’re saying there’s a chance …
It’s a great time out!
The most positive results for the team came in the form of two questions that are completely subjective and don’t have a lot to do with championship contention. But for those who believe sports is entertainment above all else, the percentages here have to please the Warriors quite a bit.
Which team is the most fun to watch?
1. Golden State — 57.1%
2. L.A. Clippers — 21.4%
3. San Antonio — 17.9%
4. Oklahoma City — 3.6%
Last year: Golden State — 41.4%
Which team has the best home-court advantage?
1. Oklahoma City — 42.9%
2. Denver — 28.6%
3. Golden State — 17.9%
Also receiving votes: Portland, San Antonio, Utah
Last year: Oklahoma City — 36.7%
The Warriors moved the ball less than any other team last year, so perhaps the switch from Mark Jackson to Steve Kerr is what led to a higher percentage of GMs calling out their fun-to-watchability. This is certainly a far cry from my first years covering the Warriors in person, when Keith Smart’s squad was great at inbounding the ball but not much else, followed by a lockout-shortened year where they tanked. Now they are truly fun to watch, and I have the feeling that the Bay Area is going to really latch onto this team in 2014-15.
The home-court advantage question is a murky one. I’ve never been to Oklahoma City — they seem pretty loud on TV, and I know they love to stand until the Thunder knock down their first bucket, but the place doesn’t seem incredibly intimidating … sort of like a more polite version of the crowd in Utah. Denver’s on the list because they’re at altitude. Playing the second end of a back-to-back in the Mile High city is more unfair than a player with five fouls trying to guard LeBron in the open court.
As for Oracle Arena, the place can still get cooking. The sound impact of 18,000 fans’ screams bouncing off concrete walls after a Stephen Curry three is felt in your ears, chest and feet. But with ticket prices zooming upward before the team even bails for San Francisco, the atmosphere has toned down slightly. Fans often arrive a little later than tipoff, leave early when the Warriors are down 10 in the fourth quarter, and don’t heckle quite as rudely as in the past. Nevertheless, I’d put the Warriors’ home court advantage up there with any other team’s, including the two listed above Golden State in this poll.
Splash Brothers have GMs’ respect
The Warriors got a lot of individual recognition, with Curry of course leading the way. Klay Thompson got a lot of love, too. And check out those assistant coach rankings — pretty remarkable stuff after what happened last year with Brian Scalabrine and Darren Erman.
Which player is the best pure shooter?
1. Stephen Curry, Golden State — 60.7%
2. Kyle Korver, Atlanta — 28.6%
Also receiving votes: Ray Allen; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City; Klay Thompson, Golden State
Last year: Stephen Curry — 44.8%
Which player is best at moving without the ball?
1. Kyle Korver, Atlanta — 53.6%
2. J.J. Redick, L.A. Clippers — 10.7%
3. Stephen Curry, Golden State — 7.1%
Shawn Marion, Cleveland — 7.1%
Also receiving votes: Bradley Beal, Washington; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio;Gordon Hayward, Utah; Chandler Parsons, Dallas; Klay Thompson, Golden State; Dwyane Wade, Miami
Last year: Ray Allen — 36.7%
Which player is the best at getting his own shot?
1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City — 42.9%
2. Carmelo Anthony, New York — 25.0%
3. LeBron James, Cleveland — 10.7%
4. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers — 7.1%
Also receiving votes: Jamal Crawford, L.A. Clippers; Stephen Curry, Golden State; James Harden, Houston; Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
Last year: Kevin Durant — 33.3%
Which player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2014-15?
1. Anthony Davis, New Orleans — 29.6%
2. Bradley Beal, Washington — 14.8%
3. Andre Drummond, Detroit — 11.1%
Klay Thompson, Golden State — 11.1%
5. Kenneth Faried, Denver — 7.4%
Also receiving votes: Rudy Gobert, Utah; Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers; Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio; Brook Lopez, Brooklyn; Markieff Morris, Phoenix; Otto Porter, Washington; Austin Rivers, New Orleans
Last year: Anthony Davis — 27.6%
Who is the best point guard in the NBA?
1. Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers — 71.4%
2. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City — 10.7%
3. Tony Parker, San Antonio — 7.1%
Also receiving votes: Stephen Curry, Golden State; Damian Lillard, Portland;Derrick Rose, Chicago
Last year: Chris Paul — 70.0%
Who is the best shooting guard in the NBA?
1. James Harden, Houston — 63.0%
2. Klay Thompson, Golden State — 18.5%
3. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers — 7.4%
Stephen Curry, Golden State — 7.4%
5. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City — 3.7%
Last year: James Harden — 56.7%
Who is the best perimeter defender in the NBA?
1. LeBron James, Cleveland — 25.0%
2. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio — 21.4%
3. Tony Allen, Memphis — 17.9%
4. Jimmy Butler, Chicago — 7.1%
Andre Iguodala, Golden State — 7.1%
Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers — 7.1%
Klay Thompson, Golden State — 7.1%
Also receiving votes: Avery Bradley, Boston; Paul George, Indiana
Last year: Tony Allen — 36.7%
Who is the best assistant coach in the NBA?
1. Alvin Gentry, Golden State — 17.9%
2. Adrian Griffin, Chicago — 7.1%
Tyronn Lue, Cleveland — 7.1%
Ettore Messina, San Antonio — 7.1%
Mike Woodson, L.A. Clippers — 7.1%
Also receiving votes: Ron Adams, Golden State; Kenny Atkinson, Atlanta; Jim Boylan, Cleveland; Jim Boylen, San Antonio; David Fizdale, Miami; Lawrence Frank, L.A. Clippers; Tim Grgurich; Melvin Hunt, Denver; Chris Jent, Sacramento; Brian Keefe, New York; Mike Longabardi, Phoenix; Nate McMillan, Indiana; Don Newman, Washington; Nick Nurse, Toronto; Joe Prunty, Milwaukee
Last year: Lawrence Frank — 21.4%
Which player is the most dangerous in the open floor?
1. LeBron James, Cleveland — 74.1%
Also receiving votes: Jamal Crawford, L.A. Clippers; Stephen Curry, Golden State; James Harden, Houston; Tony Parker, San Antonio; Derrick Rose, Chicago; John Wall, Washington; Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
Last year: LeBron James — 73.3%
Who is the toughest player in the NBA?
1. Tony Allen, Memphis — 25.9%
2. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers — 11.1%
David West, Indiana — 11.1%
4. Reggie Evans, Sacramento — 7.4%
Kenneth Faried, Denver — 7.4%
Also receiving votes: Andrew Bogut, Golden State; Caron Butler, Detroit; Tim Duncan, San Antonio; Kevin Garnett, Brooklyn; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio; Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City; LeBron James, Cleveland; Joakim Noah, Chicago; Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers; Nikola Pekovic, Minnesota
Last year: Kobe Bryant — 31.0%
Which player is the best leader?
1. Tim Duncan, San Antonio — 35.7%
2. Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers — 28.6%
3. LeBron James, Cleveland — 14.3%
4. Kevin Garnett, Brooklyn — 10.7%
Also receiving votes: Stephen Curry, Golden State; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City; Steve Nash, L.A. Lakers
Last year: Tim Duncan — 30.0%
Who is the league’s best role player?
1. Boris Diaw, San Antonio — 11.1%
Kenneth Faried, Denver — 11.1%
3. Jimmy Butler, Chicago — 7.4%
Taj Gibson, Chicago — 7.4%
Manu Ginobili, San Antonio — 7.4%
Kyle Korver, Atlanta — 7.4%
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio — 7.4%
Wes Matthews, Portland — 7.4%
Joakim Noah, Chicago — 7.4%
Also receiving votes: Tony Allen, Memphis; Nick Collison, Oklahoma City;Danny Green, San Antonio; Draymond Green, Golden State; Dwight Howard, Houston; Andre Iguodala, Golden State; J.J. Redick, L.A. Clippers
Last year: N/A
Which player has the best basketball IQ?
1. Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers — 28.6%
2. LeBron James, Cleveland — 21.4%
3. Tim Duncan, San Antonio — 14.3%
4. Steve Nash, L.A. Lakers — 10.7%
Also receiving votes: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers; Stephen Curry, Golden State; Boris Diaw, San Antonio; Kevin Garnett, Brooklyn; Marc Gasol, Memphis; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio; Kevin Love, Cleveland
Last year: Chris Paul — 33.3%
Which player would you want taking a shot with the game on the line?
1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City — 76.9%
2. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers — 7.7%
LeBron James, Cleveland — 7.7%
Also receiving votes: Carmelo Anthony, New York; Stephen Curry, Golden State
Last year: Kevin Durant — 39.3%
I’d put Curry second in this final category, but that’s just me.
