Dub Hub: Steve Kerr sees 2022 championship ‘formula’ in Warriors hot start this season

Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Friday, November 15th.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami explains how the Warriors have maximized their roster around Stephen Curry, similar to their championship season in 2022.
• Stanford Medicine’s Dr. Geoffrey Abrams explains De’Anthony Melton’s ACL sprain in an article from NBC Sports Bay Area.
• ESPN’s Shams Charania says next year could ‘potentially’ be LeBron James’ final season.

The Golden State Warriors are off to a fast start this season with a record of 9-2 through their first 11 games. It’s a level of early success reminiscent of their 2021-22 campaign, when they opened 10-1 and went on to win the NBA championship. According to The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami, head coach Steve Kerr sees parallels between this year’s team and that title-winning squad—hoping to replicate its success.

Via the San Francisco Standard:

“He showed it last year, too,” Kerr said. “I don’t think we had the depth and versatility last year that we have now. So to me, the model is ’22. We won the championship in ’22 with a similar mix to what we have now. Good on both sides of the ball, establish the defense — I think we finished second in efficiency that year, if I’m not mistaken. We’ve established this year we’re good defensively. We still have things to work on. But we won a title two years ago with a group built around Steph and defense. And that’s the formula this year, too.”

With Stephen Curry showing no signs of slowing down and a roster that prides itself on their depth and versatility, the Warriors appear poised to make another deep postseason run based on these early results.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, November 15th:

Warriors News:

How the Warriors are maximizing Steph Curry’s prime | The San Francisco Standard

The Warriors can also sustain the frenetic defensive pace because they have a faster, deeper, stronger rotation than they did last season. At new defensive coordinator Jerry Stackhouse’s urging, they’re harrying opponents by blitzing almost every pick-and-roll, something very different than what the Warriors have done in this era. They give up some open shots this way, but they also cause a lot more chaos and give aggressive, athletic defenders like De’Anthony Melton, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Gary Payton II a lot of room to fly around.

“We really decided on doing that after the personnel moves this summer,” Kerr said. “Once we added Melt, once we knew GP and Wiggs were healthy and looking good, once we decided to play bigger with Trayce [Jackson-Davis] and Draymond, it just made sense. Jerry really pushed for it and he’s been great at teaching it. But it’s a combination really of personnel and what makes the most sense for our team. Wouldn’t have made sense last year.”

Dyson Daniels, Tyler Herro and 8 more players to know from NBA season’s first few weeks | The Athletic

Hield is only playing 24.5 minutes a night in the Warriors’ egalitarian system, but he’s second on the team in scoring and PER and a big reason Golden State ranks third in the NBA in offensive efficiency — the Warriors were eighth each of the last two seasons. On the first season of a four-year deal that pays him an average of $9.4 million, he’s been one of the best signings of the 2024 offseason.

Doctor explains Melton’s ACL injury, possible Warriors return timeline | NBC Sports Bay Area

“ACL sprains can come in a lot of variety,” Dr. Abrams said. “Obviously not having seen the MRI or been part of his care, it could be anything from a mild sprain with just a little inflammation around the ligament, which is one of the main ligaments around the knee. For very minor sprains of the ligament, where there’s no major structural issues, that can be really just a few weeks or so.

“For higher grade tears where there is concern that there was structural integrity, that really goes down a different road and can be many weeks to the possibility of even surgery if there’s significant structural issues with that ligament.”

Why TJD’s new Warriors role means fewer thrills in Year 2 | NBC Sports Bay Area

“He’s settled into a role now where he’s going to play a little bit like the Zaza (Pachulia) role, or JaVale McGee,” Kerr said. “He’ll play the first six or seven minutes of each half and then see where it goes.”

TJD is being asked to set strong screens and pass as effectively as Pachulia did a few years ago. He also is being asked, urged and told to sprint from rim to rim, protecting the rim on one end and smashing lobs on the other, as McGee did when subbing for Pachulia.

Kevon Looney discusses the difference between last season and this season

NBA News:

Kia MVP Ladder: Nikola Jokić’s hot start leads to jump to No. 1 | NBA

1. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Last Ladder: No. 3

Season stats: 29.7 ppg, 13.7 rpg, 11.7 apg

His case: Aside from averaging a healthy triple-double, Joker has been a steady force despite the lineup changes within the Nuggets, who have dealt with missed games by Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray. No worries; Jokić can carry Denver to victory regardless of slumping or injured teammates. Hence, the scratches on his shoulders.

His 37-18-15 stat line against the Mavericks last Sunday — two days too late for consideration for the first installment of the Kia MVP Ladder — is the season’s gold standard. Honestly, it would stack up well against any non-Wilt triple-double. And it’s early. That’s what’s scary.

Undefeated Cavaliers aim to find out if a team of nice guys can win an NBA title | The Athletic

“That was what I really focused on preparing for my interview,” Atkinson said. “JA was out (against Boston). They were playing a lot of five-out, with (Mobley) as the trail guy, with real positive results. I saw some real positive things as far as a playmaker. That’s where the push, with him pushing it in transition, with him being that trail in a five-out system, and with the inverted pick-and-roll stuff where we bring smalls into it and have him handle. And he’s still got a ways to go. I think he’s just scratching the surface. You see him handle the ball sometimes, and you’re like, man, this guy is a point guard.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania says next season could ‘potentially’ be LeBron James’ last year in the NBA

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Draymond says Klay ‘ghosted’ Steph after leaving Warriors

It’s important to clarify that this seems more like petty competitive animosity than any substantial riff between Thompson and Curry. The two embraced following the game and have both consistently spoken highly of their time together. Still, Curry probably wishes Thompson had made staying in Golden State more of a priority.

A tweet to end the week:

Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.