Why the Warriors Should Not Over-Stress About Their Lack of Size
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: “The Warriors do not have a traditional center.” When was the last time they had a tall center with a large frame anyway? You’d probably have to go back to the 2018-2019 season, during the unlikely stint of DeMarcus Cousins, who only played 30 games with the team. So, if having a center that asserts paint dominance is a valuable asset, where does Golden State currently stand in this conversation?
In truth, nowhere. The only player that accurately fits the description is Trayce-Jackson Davis, but he has played just 16.1 minutes in his two-year career. Without much involvement, he can’t fit the intended purpose of this discussion. In theory, this area should concern the team, because it’s an area of the game in which they score a zero to ten. Yet, I want to offer two points of discussion to convince you that the Warriors are totally fine without having a player to fulfill the “big man” role.
Let’s first stick with Golden State by itself. Going back in time to about a decade ago, this very team’s innovative nature changed modern-day basketball. For the first time in years, if not ever, the Warriors made it acceptable to win without a true center. In fact, they did it well enough to cement themselves as a dynasty, winning three championships in four years. I don’t think it’s by coincidence that, aside from the 2022 championship, the Warriors just had their best season since 2018-2019, when they lost the NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors.
What did Golden State do differently? They returned to their small-ball lineup, with Draymond Green at the center position. This allowed them to win just their second series in the last three years, but more importantly, it proved their system still works. Their defense managed to contain Houston’s superstar, Alperen Sengun, which also jump-started their offense in transition. As long as Green continues to play his role as a defensive catalyst, the Warriors can control the damage of their lack of size.
Now, let’s zoom out to look at the rest of the league. Looking back at the four teams that made the Conference Finals last year, no center made a real impact. Instead, it was the guards who made the change. The Knicks revolved around the skills of Jalen Brunson. The Timberwolves went as far as Anthony Edwards could take them. The Pacers relied on their offense on Tyrese Haliburton and his playmaking. The Thunder, who eventually won it all, had Shai-Gilgeous Alexander give them one of the best single-seasons ever by an individual. The teams certainly had other contributors outside of the ones mentioned above, but not to the level of these four. From this, one can conclude that there’s simply not as much value for those big bodies in a guard-centric league as there used to be.
