Last week, we had a look at the first 2 teams I would place my money on to win the NBA championships this season.

Now I am about to present to you my cases for my 3rd and 4th picks.


  1. Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors talks to the fans while they celebrate the Warriors 2015 NBA Championship at The Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center during thier Victory Parade and Rally on June 19, 2015
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors talks to the fans while they celebrate the Warriors 2015 NBA Championship at The Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center during thier Victory Parade and Rally on June 19, 2015

So I have placed the Defending NBA Champions as only the 3rd favourite to win the title next year! Might sound controversial, but my pick isn’t without reason. The first of it would be that their head coach Steve Kerr has undergone back surgery during the off season and hasn’t been able to set a return date as he is reported to have been experiencing some post-surgery headaches and fatigue during training camps. Meanwhile the team is being handled by assistant coach Luke Walton who was a former Laker. But it just isn’t going to be the same without Steve Kerr, as he played a huge role, in them being crowned NBA Champions 2015.

Also there is the fact that GSW have built up their brand of basketball by playing small ball, which means that the tallest player on the court sometimes for them is Draymond Green who is barely 6’ 7”! Now if you know your NBA, you know that’s one undersized Center. In a sport where size matters that’s a huge risk the Golden State Warriors took last season and it paid dividends because of one very important reason: The Warriors just shot the lights out throughout last season. Both their star players, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, had almost 50% field goal percentage, which is just off the charts. The others, including Draymond Green, shot well too which meant that the court was well spread and there were plenty of driving lanes for the Guards and Forwards to sneak through and score baskets. However things will be very different if they are unable to shoot at that high level this season.

Why Golden State Warriors?

Having spent a lot of time explaining why GSW won’t repeat last year’s NBA championship level performance this season, now I’m going to establish my case as to why I think they are the 3rd favourite to win the title this season.

Firstly they have 2 of the best shooters in the league in Stephen Curry, who was last year’s season MVP and Klay Thompson, who is a bigger than the average sized Shooting guard and is the complete package. The ‘Splash Brothers’ as they are known, are one of the most feared duos throughout the NBA as they have the ability to just shoot from anywhere on the court if given space. This naturally means that as an opponent you will have to commit at least 2 players to try and shut them down!

Secondly the Splash Brothers exceptional shooting, results in open lanes for their young and rising star Harrison Barnes to explode to the basket as the floor is spread and the rim isn’t well protected. Harrison Barnes is a very consistent shooter too. Then there’s Draymond Green, the undersized Center I mentioned earlier. He could shoot the lights out too when he gets into the zone especially from the 3-Point line. Their defensive stalwart- Andre Igoudala is one of the best defensive players in the business right now; he could completely shut down a starting Shooting guard or a Small Forward or at least drastically reduce the offensive capabilities of even a star caliber players. His impeccable defense on LeBron James during the last NBA finals was without a doubt one of the main reasons for the Warriors’ triumph.

Finally even though they play small ball, that doesn’t mean the western conference power house lacks size. They have two 7 footers in their roster in solid Australian Center Andrew Bogut and Nigerian Festus Ezeli. What’s truly great about this Golden State Warriors team is the way they play ‘Team Basketball’. From the way they move the ball from end to end in a seamless motion to the way they just suffocate offenses with their team defense, the Golden State Warriors are one well gelled TEAM and that’s what ultimately won them last season’s NBA crown. If you watched the recently concluded match they had against the New Orleans Pelicans it would be very clear that they have brought that in this season as well. Last but not least, Steve Kerr will be making a comeback sometime this season which would mean that the GSW stand a very good chance of repeating their 2014/2015 success.


 

  1. San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs celebrate with the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy after the Spurs defeated the Miami Heat 107-84 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the NBA Finals Championship, June 15, 2014 in San Antonio,Texas. Front row from left: MVP Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills. The Spurs won the best of seven series 4-1. AFP PHOTO / Robyn Beck
The San Antonio Spurs celebrate with the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy after the Spurs defeated the Miami Heat 107-84 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the NBA Finals Championship, The San Antonio Spurs celebrate with the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy after the Spurs defeated the Miami Heat 107-84 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the NBA Finals Championship

Why San Antonio Spurs?

Firstly the San Antonio Spurs have the most complete team in the league right now in my opinion from the Point Guard’s position to the Center. They have one of the best Point Guards in Tony Parker, the 6’1” Frenchman. He is the engine of this unit who has such a high-energy motor that keeps all the opponents on the floor constantly on their toes. He is quick, crafty and has an uncanny ability to spot open players to score baskets. Then we have the legendary Tim Duncan, one of the best big men to have ever played the sport. Even though he is 39 years of age now, the experience he brings into the team is invaluable. San Antonio has the services of the crafty Argentine Shooting guard Manu Ginobli too, famed for having introduced the ‘Euro Step’ to the North American league. He is a lefty who can shoot from way outside 3 Point territory and if denied could take it all the way to the rim. The Spurs also have the quiet but rising star Kowhai Leonard who burst into the scene with the 2014 NBA Finals MVP performance. He is the perfect Small forward any team could ask for. San Antonio has a solid power forward in another French national team member Boris Diaw who brings in a lot of energy for the team off the bench. They also have the luxury of very consistent 3 Point shooters in Danny Green and Matt Bonner.

Another key factor in their chances is the offseason trade of LaMarcus Aldridge. Now if you are looking for a complete Power Forward then you’re looking for Aldridge, for he can do it all from shooting the mid-range J, to the back to the post game to the tip ins in the offensive end not to mention his great passing ability and floor leadership. On the defensive end he can rebound, block and guard any 4 and 5 given his size and strength. The best thing about this trade is it’s a win-win situation for both parties: for San Antonio, they now have an All-Star level player in their Arsenal and for LaMarcus Aldridge, he could learn a million things from the great Tim Duncan who will no doubt be looking to pass the torch down to the former Portland Trail Blazers Star.

Finally I’d like to point out to that San Antonio Spurs have probably been the most consistent team in the NBA through this century, in my opinion. Time and time again they have performed so well, more often than not ending up as 1st seed in the Western Conference with 50+ season wins and having won the NBA championship 5 times in the last 16 years including the year 2014. They play team basketball like a well-oiled machine under future Hall of Famer Greg Popovich who is a legend in his field. In summary placing San Antonio as a top contender to win the NBA title is a no brainer!

Join me next week at thepapare.com as I place my bets on the 5th and 6th teams I tip to win the NBA title. Until then make sure you tune into as many NBA games as possible and also keep balling!