Golden lining

Golden State is now in the NBA history books as the team with the longest winning streak to start a season after blowing out the Los Angeles Lakers, 111-77, at the Oracle Arena in Oakland last Tuesday night (yesterday morning, Manila time). The Warriors raised their mark to 16-0, eclipsing the 15-0 record set by the Washington Capitals in 1948-49 and the Houston Rockets in 1993-94.

One other pro team opened a season at 16-0 with the New England Patriots doing it in the National Football League in 2007. Golden State has the chance to rewrite the record books with a win over Phoenix on Friday. Purists will argue that the all-time record is 20-0 but the St. Louis Maroons’ feat came in the Union Association, a baseball league, in 1884 so it may not hold water.

When the Warriors’ streak will end is anybody’s guess. At the moment, they’re the team with the biggest target on their back. They’re like the gunslinger whom everyone is out to shoot down for the claim to be the fastest draw in town. The last team to beat Golden State was Cleveland and that was in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at the Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavs’ homecourt, on June 9, 2015. LeBron James compiled 40 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to fuel the Cavs’ 96-91 win. The next Cleveland-Golden State game is set on Dec. 25 at the Oracle Arena and the Cavs return the hosting favor on Jan. 18.

The Warriors’ next two games are against Phoenix on the road this Friday and Sacramento at home on Saturday. Then, Golden State embarks on a dangerous 7-game road trip against Utah, Charlotte, Toronto, Brooklyn, Indiana, Boston and Milwaukee in that order. Nobody expects the Warriors to go 82-0 so somewhere along the way, they’ll be bushwhacked. Which team will gain the distinct honor of ending the Warriors’ streak?

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Before the season opened, experts didn’t give the Warriors a chance to repeat as champion. The Sporting News didn’t even pick Golden State to make it to the Finals, choosing Cleveland to beat San Antonio in the Last Dance. Lindy’s Sports Pro Basketball Magazine also chose the Cavs to win it all. Pro Basketball Preview and Fantasy Guide Magazine selected the Spurs over Cleveland, 4-1, in the Finals. Slam Magazine went with Cleveland over San Antonio in the Finals. Sports Illustrated predicted the Cavs to beat Oklahoma City in the Finals. Golden State never figured in the equation in the five forecasts.

But with the 16-0 start, the Warriors are making a strong case to go two in a row on the throne. What’s more incredible is Golden State has been unbeatable with an invisible coach. The man who guided the Warriors to the top of the ladder has been sidelined indefinitely as Steve Kerr recovers from two back surgeries. Taking over from Kerr is interim coach Luke Walton who played on the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2008-09 and 2009-10 title teams. Walton, 35, was in Kerr’s staff during the championship run last season.

While Kerr has been absent on the bench, his influence is extremely evident in the way Walton has harnessed the troops.  It’s still not certain when Kerr will return but he’s not in a hurry to get back as things couldn’t be smoother with the Warriors. “It’s very frustrating but I’m improving,” said Kerr. “I’m able to physically work out now but I know I’m not healthy enough to do this. It’s a demanding job and it wouldn’t be fair to the team and it wouldn’t be smart for me.”

Warriors former general manager Larry Riley said Kerr’s fingerprints are all over the Warriors’ scheme of things. “Our players are willing to do exactly what the system asks of them without any hesitation,” he said. “And Luke has filled in doing exactly what Steve would ask him to do in the system.”

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Assistant coach Jarron Collins said, “He’s done so much for all of us and we’re glad we were able to keep the ship going in the right direction until he gets back…we know he’ll be back, it’s not a matter of if but when…I’m just so glad we got off to such a great start so he can focus on his health.” Backup center Festus Ezeli added, “Steve’s around in the background and we feel his presence…but at the same time, he gives Luke and the other coaches the freedom to take control of this team…he instilled that freedom in them…that’s part of being a leader in being able to teach people how to lead, too.”

Kerr’s concept of “small ball” has revolutionized the game. Gone are the days of the big dinosaurs who would back down at the post and use their size to power to the basket. Now, the beauty is back in basketball where quickness, movement and the ability to create space are at a premium. The Warriors showed in the Finals last year that even the greatest player on the planet isn’t able to bring his team to the throne unless there is a concerted effort.   

Although Steph Curry is the reigning MVP, his presence alone isn’t the secret to Golden State’s success. The win over the Lakers yesterday underscored the Warriors’ efficiency as reflected in a remarkable 32-8 assist-to-turnover ratio. Curry finished with 24 points, four rebounds and nine assists in another brilliant performance that displayed not only his ability to pile up the points but his unselfishness in making the pass.

Kerr’s absence proves that no one is indispensable and more important than any one man in assuring the success of a team is the commitment to excellence. The Warriors trust in Kerr’s system and they run it with or without him on the bench. That belief translates into a high level of confidence and it’s indicative of how Golden State has made preseason forecasters doubt themselves as credible soothsayers.