SAN FRANCISCO — After a couple of weeks of constant questions about where their team is headed in the seasons to come, the Warriors sent a forceful reminder Tuesday that they should still be feared in this one.
Golden State celebrated its 2022 championship with a ring ceremony and a breezy win over the Lakers on opening night. The weeks leading up to the game were filled with speculation about the Warriors’ future. Can Draymond Green and Jordan Poole get along? Will Draymond be on the team after this season? Can the younger players develop to serve as contributors now as well as a bridge to the future?
The Dubs didn’t necessarily provide answers for all those questions in one night. But they did show that this team could pick up right where it left off from when we last saw them, when Golden State was the last team standing in the playoffs. The 123–109 win against the Lakers followed a similar script to countless Warriors games from their best years. An almost careless first half. An absolutely dominant third quarter. And a general attitude that at no point did they fear their opponent.
