Just like that, two weeks of the 2024-25 NBA season are gone. Well, I guess it has officially been 10 days of games, but you get the idea. Since the month of November is upon us, the league will begin turning its attention and marketing towards the second-ever battle in the NBA In-Season Tourn… wait a second, it’s actually the Emirates NBA Cup now because… well, money! With the league turning its attention to the battle for the NBA Cup, many teams are beginning to stand out and make their case for being the team to beat in this competition, especially the Golden State Warriors.
Although the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder are the two teams many are discussing and the two teams at the top of ClutchPoints’ NBA power rankings, the Warriors look like a completely different team than they were a season ago. Aside from the new faces coming in to replace Klay Thompson and Chris Paul, there has been a seismic change in the attitude of this organization.
Whereas things were dull and the franchise was living in the past a year ago in attempts to reclaim their championship glory, the Warriors are simply playing with a freedom and positive energy that is so reminiscent of their most recent title run in 2022. The bench is always engaged in the game, Chase Center seems to just have a better vibe to it, and most importantly, Golden State has depth. In all honesty, this team may just have the best depth in the league when it comes to having players that can flat-out impact winning in any moment.
Have the Warriors played the hardest schedule to begin the season? No, they have not. But defensive effort translates from game to game, as does the will to fight every night. That is something this team simply did not have a season ago. Winning is all that matters early on in the season, which is why this fast start for Golden State is a major reminder that they are a championship organization capable of competing with any team in the league.
It will be very interesting to watch this team over the next week and a half, as games against the Celtics, Thunder, and Cleveland Cavaliers are the clearest tests for where this team stands in the NBA. By the way, can we give a round of applause to Kenny Atkinson and the Cavs? Next to the Thunder, Cleveland is the last undefeated team remaining in the league, and they recently decimated LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers by 24 points in his yearly return game. Keep an eye on the Cavs, as they are proving to be very dangerous at full strength, a spot they never found themselves in last season due to injury concerns.
The Cavs and Warriors are quite possibly the two greatest surprises in the Eastern and Western Conference, respectively, to begin the year. Coincidentally enough, Atkinson came from the Warriors, adding yet another parallel between these two rivals. What is happening right now for Golden State is no coincidence, as their success to begin the 2024-25 NBA season is yet another example of the strength they possess in numbers.
