Goal 1. Cut Down on Turnovers

Turnovers have always been a thorn in the Warriors’ side. Since they have become this dynastic team, their confidence to play with a flair is sky high. Confidence can be a great thing for a team, but it can be a weakness as well. This confidence can cause the team to make lazy passes leading to turnovers, which ultimately lead to buckets for the other team.

The Warriors ranked 26th in the league in turnovers this past season at 15.4 per game. Compared to the leader in turnovers per game at 12.3 was the Dallas Mavericks. Part of the reason the Warriors have such a high turnover rate is that of how coach Steve Kerr lets his players play. His players-freedom approach allows them to try to fancy passes that add up to confidence levels rising from players, which will lead to turnovers. It is a blessing and a curse to how the Warriors play.

Kerr, who is a Gregg Popovich disciple, uses some of his offensive principles, including motion, cutting and a smidge of triangle offense from Phil Jackson. The difference is that the Warriors play with more flair and freedom than San Antonio, who will play with the “simple play” and fundamentally correct play. Both offensive styles work, but if the Warriors decreased the level of fanciness in their play and played a bit more like the Spurs, their turnovers would probably lower.

Valuing the possession of the ball is the most important characteristic in basketball, and if the Warriors want to complete a three-peat, they have to tone down the flash just a bit and play solid fundamental basketball.

This is a statistical category that can be easily shored up with the correct fundamentals and coaching. Decreasing the turnovers are the third goal for Golden State in the upcoming season to try to defend their title.