Supporting cast playing key role in keeping Golden State Warriors on track

The Golden State Warriors’ four stars – Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green – have missed a total of 31 games this season, almost as many as they missed all of last season (33). But the Warriors are still cruising to another year of at least 65 wins, yet to lose consecutive games and setting another record for offensive efficiency.

Stability has been key. While the Warriors could have shaken up their supporting cast last summer, they chose to run it back by re-signing Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and David West. And that has paid off, as The Athletic‘s Tim Kawakami writes:

Maybe the Warriors really could’ve used a little more roster freshening last summer — they have at times looked a little slow this season, have seemed drowsy more than a few times at home, Draymond Green has certainly gotten banged up quite a lot, and Iguodala in particular seems to need many more rest days than even a year or two ago.

But the point is, for right now, Iguodala remains a crucial card for Kerr to play in the postseason, and West and Livingston are huge components for the minutes when Kerr is resting Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

That doesn’t mean this will always be the case. It might not be the case even next season. But for now, and for the chemistry of that locker room, the Warriors’ decision to pay a little bit extra to keep the group together — and for Iguodala, Livingston, West and the others to recognize how special this all is, too — is clearly earning immediate dividends.

Through the first three months of the season, the Warriors are 37-9, would have to go into a lengthy slump to even have a worry about losing the No. 1 overall seed in the postseason, boast a 21-3 road record, and seem to be able to flip the switch at any important point in any game they deem meaningful.

That’s what very talented veteran teams do. That’s what puts the Warriors two or three steps ahead of just about everybody in the league, still, and that was the plan from last summer: Keep it together, and nobody can touch them.