For the first time in a long time, the Golden State Warriors and their fans have great expectations for this upcoming season. In fact, the Warriors are expected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
On the court, they have all the right pieces. They have a superstar in Stephen Curry, they have a dominant center in Andrew Bogut, they have a consistent rebounder in David Lee, they have a versatile, athletic wing in Andre Iguodala, and they have young talent in Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes.
Off the court, they have the right mindset and a winning attitude. It all starts with Mark Jackson. He’s the perfect coach for this team. He’s got the knowledge of the game from playing 17 seasons as a point guard in the NBA. He’s a proven, effective leader, and he’s the ultimate motivator and preacher.
Jackson is a players’ coach. He creates an atmosphere where his players can succeed, but he also demands the best from his players. He allows no excuses from his players and preaches teamwork constantly. Jackson develops a competitive, yet respectful atmosphere, and this is one of the reasons why players want to play for him. Jackson brings the best out of his team on the court, and, off the court, he drives players to become better people.
“Great teams are full of character, not characters.” This saying perfectly describes what the Warriors are about. Jackson, Bob Myers, and Joe Lacob have constructed a team full of players with character. Obviously, they search for talent and address any particular needs the team has, but they also want to fill the team with genuinely good people.
The Warriors had a breakout season last year largely due to their team chemistry. The players not only got along off the court, they truly enjoyed being around each other. They translated that genuine respect for each other onto the court, and they turned it into an entertaining, successful season.
After losing Jarrett Jack in the offseason, who was a large part of their team chemistry, the Warriors know they have a lot to prove this season. Although last season was rather successful, they want to accomplish more this season. They’re going to try to accomplish it the same way though. They’re going to play with the same attitude. They’re going to continue to play for each other and play as a team.
Even though they won’t be able to sneak past certain opponents like they did last season, they will certainly have the proverbial targets on their backs this season. However, as mentioned before, they will approach the season in the same manner. They will go into every game with that underdog mentality that drives them to succeed. They will play for each other, and they will play with a lot of character and respect for the game and for their teammates. This is their winning formula.
The Warriors were labeled in many different ways before the start of this upcoming season. Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle called this Warriors team “a Boy Scout troop.” He also called them honor students. In NBA.com’s 12th annual GM Survey, 41.4 percent of the general managers in the NBA voted that the Warriors are the most fun team to watch.
NBA analysts and fans can call the Warriors whatever they want. Regardless of what nickname they’re given, the Warriors are a team of high character, and this is one of the reasons why they’ve been successful and why they’re easy to root for. Maybe this Warriors team can prove that nice guys don’t always finish last.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
