John Schuhmann’s Week 2 Power Rankings at NBA.com dropped the Golden State Warriors to 26th, down from 24th, after an 0-3 start. It was published Monday, hours before Golden State won its first game, and that timing matters to the argument below.
Schuhmann Ranked the Week, Not the Roster
Twenty-sixth puts Golden State in the league’s bottom five, and the placement follows the numbers almost exactly. NBA.com lists the Warriors with an offensive rating of 110.2 (15th), a defensive rating of 122.2 (29th) and a net rating of -12.0, which also ranks 26th.
Schuhmann’s case comes down to two points. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have not worked together yet — NBA.com notes they were outscored by 27.6 points per 100 possessions over their 50 minutes on the floor together. And the Warriors are 0-3 for the first time since 2007.
The Ranking Was Right on Monday Morning
It is already a little harsh on Tuesday. The Phoenix loss that pushed them down was not a full-strength result: Curry, Green and Brandin Podziemski all sat out the Oct. 24 game in Phoenix, and Curry was listed for right knee injury management.
With the three of them back, the Warriors beat the Nuggets 134-114 in Denver. Yaxel Lendeborg had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Curry scored 24 on 8-of-8 shooting, and Podziemski finished a plus-33.
The Defense Keeps Them in the Bottom Third
One blowout does not move this team into the middle of the league. A defensive rating of 122.2 is 29th, and nothing about this roster suggests that fixes itself. Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porziņģis are both unavailable with no return dates, and the team has said Porziņģis will not be around the group in the immediate future.
So 26th was right for an 0-3 team and a bit too low for a full-strength one. SES would put Golden State in the low 20s. Expect next week’s rankings to move them up a few spots, not into the top half — real movement depends on the defense, and on dated returns for Butler or Porziņģis.
Source: John Schuhmann of NBA.com
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