One-man’s list: The 10 greatest NBA offenses in my lifetime

Posted on November 8, 2015 by Steinmetz

On our most recent Sal and Steiny Podcast, we found ourselves once again talking about how great the Warriors have looked early in the season and how magnificent Stephen Curry is playing. Never mind Saturday’s ordinary win over the Kings, you know and it and I know it that the Warriors have been unreal … so far.

Who knows if this will continue, and whether or not the Warriors will waltz to back-to-back titles? All I know is that for all of last year and the little of this year, the Golden State Warriors have been one of the most incredible offensive teams I’ve seen in my lifetime.

At times, their ball movement rivals that of any NBA team over the past four or five decades and their ability to shoot the ball is already historic. With Curry, the Warriors have a superstar ringleader and when everyone’s playing well it’s as fun as anything under the big tent.

So I’ve been thinking of some of the best — most beautiful, cohesive and watchable — teams I’ve seen in “my day.” How far back is “my day?” Well, let’s call it the mid-1970s and leave it at that.

Also, allow me to clarify some. I’m not necessarily talking about great teams, but I’m talking about teams that were notable for their offense. And I’m stressing teams and not individuals. This list is about ball movement, passing and cutting, unselfishness, the blending of a superstar with his teammates, chemistry, playing the right way and fundamentals.

It’s also about fun. These teams were a barrel of monkeys to watch, and in the case of the Warriors, we’re still able to watch them. Feel free to tell me which teams I left off and which teams shouldn’t be on the list in the first place. Here you go:

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Posted in 76ers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, LA Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Warriors | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Are we really serious about the Warriors winning 70 games?

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Steinmetz

My buddy Dan the Man is a knowledgeable hoops guy and big Boston Celtics fan. He’s a buddy of mine, and I put his basketball opinions up there with just about anyone. We talk a lot of NBA and recently had this text exchange about the Warriors and how many games they’d win. No, I didn’t ask him if I could post this:

Dan the Man: “I’ll tell you, man, if Steph Curry bombs from all points on the court in the fourth quarter like that all season, they will be a force. I just can’t wrap my head around that being done consistently over, say, 100 games.”

Me: “Essentially, that’s what he did last season, though not to the extreme he’s doing it now. It’s over, bruh, the Warriors figured it out, they’ve got a way and strategy of doing something that everyone’s trying to catch up to. Curry’s too good, and they always have five above-average basketball players – note, BASKETBALL PLAYERS, not guys who are simply playing basketball – on the court. It’s like a pickup basketball game where one team (the Warriors) is loaded every single game, with the best player on the floor and then about two or three more of the top players on the entire court. Meanwhile, the other team is always playing with at least one stiff – like when you were on my team. Haha.”

Dan the Man: “Sounds like you’re crowning them repeat champions a week or two into the season. Don’t do that. I don’t know, the season is way long, and obviously there’s an injury factor. Talk to me in February or March. And this talk of 72 wins is really very silly. Why do you even want to do that if it over-works players and derails a path to the title? Plus they could have easily lost the other night to the Clippers and the rhetoric would be totally different. Luke Walton should have called timeout when they went down 5 or 7 in that fourth quarter. I know it’s nit-picking but it’s true. Coaching is a possible question mark.”

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Posted in Chicago Bulls, NBA, Other, Warriors | 2 Comments

Warriors couldn’t be the Warriors without Harrison Barnes

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Steinmetz

The Warriors are the defending champions, and they’re off to a sparkling 5-0 start this year. With this reality, it’s pretty tough to throw too much criticism toward any coach, player or front-office guy.

So even though the Warriors don’t take a lot of heat, as a whole or individually, there is one player who seems to be criticized more than any other: Harrison Barnes.

His detractors say, in essence, he’s overrated. They say he’s not worth close to the $64 million he reportedly turned down and that his game is more limited than you think. They talk about how he floats for long periods of time and is invisible for other long stretches.

They say that without the benefit of playing with Stephen Curry, not to mention an assortment of passing teammates, that he’d be a shell of the player he is now. And the way they see it, his shell is pretty hollow anyway.

He’s not a great ballhandler; not a great passer; has no go-to move. In other words, they think Barnes leaves a lot of game on the table.

I don’t get it.

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Posted in NBA, Warriors | Tagged | 3 Comments