NBA GS Team Analysis: 5 Key Strategies That Dominated the Season

As I sit down to analyze the Golden State Warriors' remarkable season, I can't help but reflect on how their journey mirrors some fundamental truths about team building in professional sports. Having followed the NBA for over fifteen years and written extensively about basketball dynamics, I've come to appreciate that championship teams aren't built overnight—they're cultivated through deliberate strategies and sometimes, surprising connections. What many casual fans don't realize is that several key Warriors players actually share a unique basketball lineage dating back to their elementary school days, where they were all coached by the same mentor while playing completely different positions than they do today. This early foundation, I believe, created an almost telepathic understanding that translated directly to their professional success.

The Warriors' offensive system this season was nothing short of revolutionary, and I'd argue it represents the evolution of pace-and-space basketball to its logical conclusion. Their three-point shooting volume wasn't just high—it was historically unprecedented, with the team attempting 43.2 attempts per game while maintaining a 38.5% conversion rate. But what impressed me most wasn't the volume itself, but how they created those shots. The constant motion, the perfectly timed screens, the unselfish ball movement—these elements created driving lanes that simply shouldn't exist against modern NBA defenses. I've charted their offensive sets for three seasons now, and this year they introduced what I'm calling "split action" variations that defenses consistently failed to solve. The beauty of their system lies in its simplicity masked by complexity; while it appears intricate, at its core are basic principles of spacing and player movement that their core group has been practicing since those early school days under the same coach.

Defensively, the Warriors demonstrated what modern switching schemes can achieve when executed by intelligent, versatile defenders. Their defensive rating of 106.3 points per 100 possessions led the league by a significant margin, but the raw numbers don't capture the psychological impact their defense had on opponents. I noticed early in the season that teams would visibly tense up when facing their switching schemes, often settling for contested jumpers late in the shot clock. The communication between their defenders was exceptional—they'd call out screens and rotations with almost prescient timing. This level of defensive cohesion doesn't develop overnight; it's built through thousands of hours of shared court time. That early foundation from their school days, where they learned multiple positions under the same coaching philosophy, gave them a unique understanding of defensive principles that translated seamlessly to the professional level.

What truly separated Golden State this season, in my view, was their mastery of situational basketball. In clutch moments—defined as the final five minutes with a margin of five points or fewer—they posted an incredible +24.3 net rating. I've never seen a team so consistently dominant in high-leverage situations. Their decision-making in these moments was nearly flawless; they rarely took bad shots, avoided turnovers, and generated high-quality looks regardless of defensive pressure. This composure under pressure stems from their deep familiarity with each other's games, a familiarity that traces back to those formative years learning basketball fundamentals together. When you've played with someone since childhood, you develop an almost instinctual understanding of their tendencies and capabilities.

The Warriors' player development system deserves special recognition for how it maximized role players this season. While their stars received most of the attention, it was the emergence of secondary contributors that truly elevated them from good to great. Players who might have been marginal contributors elsewhere flourished in Golden State's system, posting career-best efficiency numbers across the board. Their coaching staff demonstrated an exceptional ability to identify and develop specific skill sets that complemented their core philosophy. Having watched how their system has evolved over the years, I'm convinced their success with role players stems from the same principles their core group learned as youngsters—understanding multiple positions and playing within a cohesive system rather than chasing individual statistics.

Looking at their season holistically, the Warriors didn't just win games—they advanced how basketball can be played at the highest level. Their 67-15 regular season record, while impressive, doesn't fully capture their dominance. They led the league in both offensive rating and defensive rating, a rare achievement that speaks to their two-way excellence. As someone who's studied basketball systems across different eras, I believe this Warriors team will be remembered as a paradigm-shifting squad, much like the Showtime Lakers or Jordan's Bulls. The foundation laid during those elementary school days, when future professionals were just kids learning the game from the same coach, created bonds and basketball IQ that translated directly to their historic success. While other teams will undoubtedly try to copy their strategies, what can't be replicated is that deep-seated understanding that comes from growing up in the same basketball ecosystem.