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OAKLAND – It's the fifth year and there is no bravado. Just a quiet trust and a claim, despite scattered allusions on the contrary, one should not wonder if this is the end for this core group that has made four consecutive trips to the finals of the NBA.
Still, the 2018-19 season could be exactly that of the Warriors.
Kevin Durant, who joined the Warriors before the third year, has made no commitment beyond this season. Klay Thompson says he intends to return but there is no guarantee that the free membership contract will arrive on July 1. Shaun Livingston enters the final season during which his contract is fully guaranteed.
Against this backdrop, the Warriors are ready, if they are not ready, to open their 47th and final season at Oracle Arena. They will receive their championship jewelry and then gather once again in a group of pre-tipis opening. The trip starts Tuesday night.
"We know exactly what we have to do as a team and how to win each possession," Durant said. "It's a matter of staying healthy, staying on the ground."
More real words have not been spoken. Even with a brew of youth, the Warriors are the oldest team in the league. Five of their eight veterans, Jonas Jerebko, Curry, Durant, Iguodala and Livingston, are 30 years old:
Head coach Steve Kerr has recognized the need to monitor game time more closely than ever, and this approach begins immediately. Shaun Livingston is questionable for the opening night and Draymond Green, who returned Friday after missing 12 days of knee pain and will play a few minutes as his conditioning.
DeMarcus Cousins, the team's major acquisition during the off-season, continues his rehabilitation following a surgical operation to repair a broken Achilles tendon. No timetable has been established, but it is reasonable to think that it will be at least two months away.
"We are not in good shape," concedes Kerr.
So, no, it is not the ideal start.
And, again, warriors are by far the team to beat.
They will win between 60 and 65 games, because no team can compete with its offensive firepower, defensive tenacity and coolness. The two best things the Warriors have done since the start of Durant came in the Western Conference finals last May. First, they were beaten 3-2 by the Rockets after five games. Secondly, they were two digits late in games 6 and 7 and came back to win both to win the series.
Having survived this, the Cavaliers never had the chance to participate in the NBA Finals.
Having survived this, the Warriors send a warning to the rest of the league: they welcome the challenges thrown by the Rockets and Celtics, Jazz and Raptors, Thunder and 76ers.
The reigning champions also welcome the addition of Cousins, whenever the big man is ready, because his availability will energize the entire list. Meanwhile, they welcome the youthful injection provided by Damian Jones, Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney, the trio who will play the essential minutes in the center.
The Warriors chased first place in the overall standings for three consecutive years to gain an advantage on their playing field that they used once in all 12 series of the season.
They abandoned this specific pursuit last season and proved that it mattered little, winning for the first time in franchise history a seventh game of the NBA Finals.
They know who they are and what they are capable of when games count the most. It's after the break of the stars and once the playoffs start on April 13th.
"I do not think we're going to move up a gear right now," Kerr said. We will not be as good (Tuesday night) as we will be on the road. "
D & # 39; agreement.
Here are some specific projections about the Warriors in 2018-19.
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<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Post-season record: First round (4-0), conference semifinals (4-2), conference finals (4-1) and NBA finals (4-2) "data-reactid =" 38 ">Post-season record: First Round (4-0), Conference Semifinals (4-2), Conference Finals (4-1) and NBA Finals (4-2)
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