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The Golden State Warriors are fresh off of back-to-back wins against opponents in the Western Conference. The team seems to have gotten their groove back after a very slow start to the season, with complete blowout losses to the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks. Even without one of their stars, Klay Thompson, they’ve defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, the San Antonio Spurs and even the league’s top team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Warriors’ most recent win over the Lakers has shown that the Warriors can kick it into overdrive at about any point once the team establishes their rhythm. In a recent interview, head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the talented team that their Western Conference rivals are.
Kerr Says James & Davis Have Built ‘a Hell of a Foundation’
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In admiration of the talented Lakers roster, Kerr discussed how much of a dynamic duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis are, even outside the game, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.
“That’s been kind of a hallmark of a lot of championship teams when you have championship-caliber stars who complement each other on and off the court,” Kerr said.
“They have two of the very best players in the game who complement each other very well and are very comfortable in their respective roles,” Kerr said. “It’s obviously a hell of a foundation upon which to build.”
Kerr is quite acquainted with championships in the NBA, with five rings as both a player and a coach. Being on a team with Michael Jordan and even coaching a dynasty like the 2015-2019 Warriors has taught him the importance of having a complete team in order to win championships.
However, these two Lakers didn’t perform to their highest standards against the Warriors on Sunday night. The Warriors were able to come back from a 19-point deficit and secure the win as the underdog.
However, this doesn’t take away from the undeniable talent of this dominant duo. The two are leading their refined roster to the best record in the league.
The Warriors as Contenders
GettyWarriors head coach Steve Kerr.
The Warriors are playing with the intention of becoming Western Conference playoff contenders once again and they hope to make an appearance in the finals. They’d most likely have to go through the Lakers in order to get there.
Although the team spent last season at the bottom of the league due to injuries to Steph Curry and Thompson and are plagued by Thompson’s injury again, it seems that the team is beginning to regain the league’s attention. The Warriors are now fifth in the Western Conference even after having a pretty tough schedule.
With every win and loss this season, Golden State seems to be figuring out what works and what doesn’t. This is shaping the Warriors into the team that they were supposed to be even before Thompson’s injury.
This isn’t the first time Kerr has spoken so fondly of the team. Although the Warriors breezed right past the Lakers during their matchup on Monday, it’s almost guaranteed that the Lakers won’t let the Warriors off that easy again.
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