Will Warriors surprise again?

SAN FRANCISCO – While experts aren’t picking Golden State to repeat as the NBA champion this season, the Warriors are playing like they’re out to embarrass the disbelieving soothsayers.

Coach Steve Kerr, recuperating from back surgery, hasn’t called the shots for Golden State since the new season opened last week. But the Warriors are working like an airplane on autopilot. Assistant coach Luke Walton has been at the helm on an interim basis, showing the Warriors aren’t missing the man who led the team to its first title in 40 years as a rookie mentor last season.

Steph Curry has sparked the early surge, averaging a league-high 39.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.3 steals as Golden State streaked to a 3-0 record, beating New Orleans, 111-95, Houston, 112-92 and the Pelicans once more, 134-120. So far, there are six unbeaten teams in the league with Golden State, Oklahoma City, the Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto and Detroit racing to identical 3-0 marks and Minnesota a whiff away at 2-0.

The Warriors are getting the job done even as starting center Andrew Bogut played in only 19 minutes before leaving the game with a concussion in the home opener against New Orleans last Oct. 27. Bogut sat out the next two games as Festus Ezeli has taken over the starting spot in the middle.

Last season’s Finals MVP Andre Iguodala has returned to his sixth man role, averaging 7.3 points. Aside from Curry, the other Warriors averaging in double figure points are Draymond Green (13.3), Klay Thompson (13.0) and Harrison Barnes (10.3). Curry leads Golden State in points, field goal percentage (.588), three point field goal percentage (.486), free throw percentage (.955), rebounds, assists and steals. There doesn’t seem anything that Curry can’t do on the floor. He’s practically doing it all for the Warriors. That, however, may be a problem for Golden State down the stretch.

For the record, three other players are averaging at least 30 points a game this season – the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin (32.0), OKC’s Russell Westbrook (32.0) and OKC’s Kevin Durant (30.0).

Despite their glowing performance in the last Finals, the Warriors failed to convince the experts to see it their way in preseason polls. Sports Illustrated picked the Thunder to beat Golden State in the Western Conference Finals and Cleveland to tame Chicago in the East. As for the Finals, writer Chris Mannix predicted “there is no stopping Cleveland.”

“After the Drive and the Catch, the Fumble and the Decision, 51 years of sports futility on the shores of Lake Erie will come to an end next June,” wrote Mannix. “Yes, the four heavyweights in the Western Conference will beg to differ. But by the time Oklahoma City, Golden State, the Clippers and San Antonio finish throwing haymakers at one another, a rested, relaxed and ridiculously talented Cavaliers team will be waiting to finish off OKC in the Finals.”

The Sporting News chose Cleveland and San Antonio to slug it out in the Last Dance. “Judging by last year’s Finals performance (35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game) and the offseason front office activity he inspired, (LeBron) James is all-in with the Cavaliers’ championship pursuit which means in 2016 the ‘All-In’ Cavaliers’ fanbase will celebrate Cleveland sports’ first professional championship in 52 years.”

Slam Magazine also picked the Cavs over the Spurs in the Finals. Writer Ben Osborne said: “For argument’s sake, let’s put the Spurs in the Finals. They will be tired but we also know they will be tough. If Cleveland has homecourt advantage (which they should even if their ‘Big Three’ only averages 65 games played), we can see the first four games being split. Game 5 will be won by the Spurs at home. The Spurs will win Game 6 back in San Antonio. ABC and NBA execs will be shipping ad dollars to overseas bank accounts faster than the Union’s lawyers can get a look at them. Game 7 will be in Cleveland. The world will be on edge. And then, just maybe, LeBron and his beloved Land may get a little special treatment from the ‘gods.’ A loose ball here, a convenient call there and then finally, it will be time to party in Cleveland. And the last men standing will crumble in joy.”

Lindy’s Sports Pro Basketball Magazine chose Cleveland to go all the way with James collecting the MVP trophy. The only dissenting opinion came from 2015-16 Pro Basketball Preview and Fantasy Guide Magazine which defied the trend to pick San Antonio over Cleveland, 4-1.

Golden State’s winning formula of small ball may not work as efficiently as it did last season when the Warriors caught the opposition with pants down. Now, there’s a big target on Golden State’s back and every team is looking to hit the bull’s eye. The Spurs and Thunder will crowd the Warriors in the race for supremacy in the West with Golden State unlikely to survive. San Antonio will advance to the Finals against a healthy Cleveland and this time, LeBron, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love won’t be denied the title that should’ve been theirs last season.