How can a team win?
The NBA is in the middle of its second half and with the All-Star break just a week away, teams around the league are going to have to adjust.
There’s going to be some time in the coming weeks where teams have to make adjustments to their rosters and get ready for the stretch run.
Here are five things teams need to know going into the season.
1.
The Warriors are a team that will struggle to get off to a great start.
While the Warriors’ record in their first 10 games was impressive (8-0), they were blown out in the first round of the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Now they’re on the road to a first-round loss to the Houston Rockets.
While they have some talent, the team is still a bit behind the rest of the league in the frontcourt.
This team isn’t as talented as the Clippers or the Spurs, but they have the talent to make a run in the postseason.
2.
Golden State needs to be more consistent on the glass.
It has been a little rough of late with Curry being out with an ankle injury.
This is the second straight season that the Warriors have struggled on the defensive end, especially since Steph Curry returned to action.
This will continue to be a problem for Golden State this season.
The last time Golden State was this bad defensively was the 2011-12 season, when it allowed an average of 95.9 points per 100 possessions.
3.
The Rockets are also a team struggling on the offensive end.
They were coming off of an NBA-high eight-game winning streak, but their offense fell off.
With a new head coach in Mark Jackson, they have a lot to work on offensively.
But if they can improve on defense and rebound, they could have a good chance of making a run.
4.
There is no denying that Houston has a deep team of shooters.
The team is coming off a disappointing playoff loss in which they shot just 38.5 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from 3-point range.
But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a talented team.
The problem for Houston is that it has to be an elite defense.
The Clippers and Spurs are among the top teams in the league at defending the 3-ball, and Houston is just a bit worse than those teams.
They need to make sure they’re a threat to score and they need to be able to shoot.
5.
Teams around the NBA need to take note.
The Golden State Warriors are one of the teams that are looking to make an early run.
The Lakers, Warriors, Jazz and Cavaliers are all going to get some time to adjust and get their bearings.
If the Warriors don’t adjust quickly, there is a good possibility that their playoff run will be one that is not so great.
