Golden State Warriors 2001-02 Capsule
COACH: Dave Cowens (second season, 153-176 overall)
LAST SEASON: 17-65, seventh in Pacific Division
ARRIVALS: F Jason Richardson (first-round pick), F Troy Murphy (first-round pick), G Gilbert Arenas (second-round pick), F Cedric Henderson (trade with Philadelphia)
DEPARTURES: G Vonteego Cummings, F Chris Mullin, F Adam Keefe, F Corie Blount, F Chris Porter
SLAM DUNKS: It's hard to imagine how a team that won 17 games last season and didn't make any offseason moves can have hope, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for Golden State. The frontcourt is loaded with good players in F Antawn Jamison, C Marc Jackson, C Erick Dampier, F-C Adonal Foyle and F Danny Fortson. Jackson (13.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg) signed a six-year deal on Oct. 19 and should only improve from an excellent rookie season. Fortson (16.7, 16.3) is finally after being limited to six games in 2000-01 with a foot injury. He can be a solid scorer in the paint and dominant rebounder. G Larry Hughes (16.5, 5.5) is the team's most explosive player and combines with Jamison (24.9, 8.7) to provide an effective 1-2 scoring punch. G Bobby Sura (11.1, 4.3 rpg) provides a solid guard off the bench in the backcourt, but time may be running out on veteran G Mookie Blaylock (11.0, 6.7 apg), who was stripped of his captaincy by Cowens last season.
AIRBALLS: Injuries have devastated the Warriors over the last few seasons. Only Jamison played in all 82 games last season and no other player appeared in more than 69. Health is the key to success for any team. The Warriors lost 414 games to injury last season, the third highest total since the NBA began keeping track in 1986. There is no doubt Golden State has plenty of offensive weapons, but it will have to figure out a way to enhance a defense that allowed 101.5 points per game last season. An injury-free season will help improve those numbers as well, as the Warriors have a lot of size in the paint.
IN THE ZONE: Golden State shot the three-pointer well last season, which will keep a lot of zone defenses honest. If the Warriors can continue to knock down the outside shot, it will prevent opponents from collapsing on Jamison and Jackson underneath. Blaylock and Cummings are the main threats from the arc and Richardson was a lethal shooter at the college level.
OUTLOOK: As strange as it sounds, the Warriors look like a balanced team heading into the season. It may be a long shot to expect Golden State to make the playoffs in the competitive Western Conference, but the postseason doesn't seem too far away for what has been considered a doomed franchise over the past few seasons.
