Liffmann's bold, not-so-bold predictions for Warriors' season
It is never too early, or too late, to make a bunch of predictions that will probably be wrong. But what is the fun in not even trying?Here are my bold (and not-so-bold) Warriors predictions for the 2020-21 season.
Just a couple weeks ago on the "Dubs Talk" podcast, I predicted Steph finishes with the second-highest scoring average in his career, by scoring around 28 points per game.
However, after watching him in the preseason and seeing how hungry he is to score and lead this team, I expect Steph to shoot enough to put himself over 30 points per contest and probably end up with his highest average of his career, beating the 30.1 points he put up during his unanimous MVP season.
If he accomplishes this and carries the Warriors to a mid-to-high seed in the West, he should be near the top of the MVP voting.
If the Warriors are going to be a top defensive team in the league, they will need a couple of individuals to step up to an elite level. One of them, Draymond Green, has done it before and is needed to do it again if the Warriors want to be successful this year.
The other potentially could be Kelly Oubre Jr, who has said that making an All-Defense team is a goal of his. If everything clicks, the length, versatility and motor of those two players could create havoc for opponents.
Andrew Wiggins and James Wiseman have the potential to be difference-makers on the defensive end, but Wiggins has not yet shown to be consistent on that side of the ball and his reputation around the league might dissuade voters, even if he takes a leap.
Wiseman might not play enough minutes and will need time to fully understand the NBA game before becoming elite.
Even if he is not ready to be elite defensively, Wiseman can make a tremendous impact on the Warriors from the get-go. It might take a few weeks for him to find his stride in the league, but at the very least, he should be impacting the offense in transition as well as lob threat.
He also is massive and athletic, and has a high motor, which means that he should be a beast on the defensive and offensive boards.
Simply averaging a double-double should automatically make him a top choice for the All-Rookie team, but when you add in the potential blocks and impact he will eventually make once he learns how to play in the NBA, he could even be considered for Rookie of the Year when all is said and done. He just might not get enough touches and minutes to actually win the award.
It will take some time for Wiggins to find his legs and rhythm in the offense, but when he does, he should be ready for a lot of catch-and-shoot 3 point shots. Wiggins is a much better shooter when he does not have to create on his own, so Curry's gravity on offense could give Wiggins the ability to space the floor.
Wiggins will probably never be a 40 percent shooter, as he is 33.2 percent from deep in his career. But his season career-high of 35.6 percent in 2016-17 could be within reach, and if he were to jump to a respectable 36 to 37 percent from beyond the arc, he will be an incredible asset on offense.
The Western Conference is loaded with incredible talent, and an argument could be made for about 11 teams to have a shot to make the playoffs. The Warriors were at the very bottom of the league last season, but the influx of talent and the good health of Curry and Green should propel them back into the postseason.
There will be an adjustment as the team finds its chemistry, and there will be spurts where the team struggles to shoot the ball from deep. Injuries to any of the bigger-name players would also cost the Warriors dearly, so staying healthy is the key to a successful season.
I predict that the Warriors will end up being one of the top defensive teams in the league, and led by Curry on offense, the team should be able to put up enough points to rack up plenty of wins.
With all of that said, I do not see the Warriors winning the title this season. Could the Warriors make a move at the deadline that makes them a legitimate contender? Absolutely.
But based on their current roster, there are limitations that will prevent them from beating the very best squads in multiple seven-game series.
If Klay Thompson were healthy, my position might have been much different. However, unless Curry plays like an MVP ...and Draymond plus either Wiggins or Oubre Jr. play like All-Stars -- while the other comes close to it ... and Wiseman takes the immediate leap to a disruptive force ... and the bench becomes highly efficient from deep ...and most importantly, the team stays incredibly healthy .... I do not see this year as the return to championship glory.
You never know though, and I have been wrong before. Many, many times.
