2 Encouraging stats that prove the Golden State Warriors may be contenders again

There are two encouraging stats that prove the Golden State Warriors are not just off to a fast start.

The Golden State Warriors at 7-1, fresh off arguably their most impressive victory in years, are playing like it's 2018 once again. After an offseason in which many believed the Warriors were making a big mistake in allowing Klay Thompson to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, it's Golden State who have gotten off to a better start. I wouldn't say the Warriors have not missed Klay but it's safe to suggest that the team did a great job in replacing him considering how little flexibility they had. And of the bigger reasons for the Warriors' excellent play this season revolves around one of those offseason acquisitions.

But the Warriors' success so far this season goes beyond just one player. It's only fair to give this team their props for how dominant they've been through the first eight games of the season. Sure it's a small sample size and this team must continue to prove their worth as a potential contender, but there are specifically two encouraging stats or trends that prove the Warriors may have more staying power as a contender in the Western Conference than perhaps many are willing to admit.

Steph Curry and Buddy Hield, when they share the court, have the best net rating in the NBA

The Warriors might have found another splash brother in Buddy Hield. When Curry and Hield share the court together this season, their lineups have the best net rating in the NBA. This current trend or stat has played a big part in the team's overall success this season. One of the bigger reasons why the Warriors have stumbled each of the past two seasons is the fact that their offense wasn't as deadly as it used to be.

So far this season, the Warriors have completely changed the narrative on that front. Through the first two-plus weeks of the regular season, Golden State has the third-best offensive rating in the league. The team's success so far this season goes well beyond the dynamics of Curry and Hield but there's no question that their dominance in the backcourt has set the tone on that end of the floor.

Who knows if this overall dominance will continue for the Warriors but there's no question the team may have found something with the acquisition of Hield. After a couple of down seasons, it appears as if a fresh start in Golden State has sparked Hield this year as he's averaging a career-high 21 points and five rebounds on 51 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent shooting from 3-point range.

The Golden State Warriors have the second-best defense in the league

Over the last nine years of their "dynasty," there's almost been one consistent with the Warriors. When they have a dominant defense, they're successful. It's the ultimate difference-maker for a team that is generally always a great offensive team because of Steph Curry. This season, the Warriors have not only been explosive on the offensive end of the floor, but they've also managed to reemerge this season as one of the best defensive teams in the league.

Right now, the Warriors have the second-best defensive rating in the league and are trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder. If the Warriors are going to prove they're a contender this season, it always hinged on their ability to rebound defensively. In each of the past two seasons, the Warriors have been pretty average defensively. During the 2021-22 NBA season, when they won the NBA Championship, they were the second-best defensive team in the league. It may still be early, but the Warriors are playing championship-level defense to begin the season.

If these two trends can continue for the Warriors over the remainder of the season, there's no doubt in my mind that this is going to be a team that no one will want to face in the postseason. Whether they have enough elite talent to win a championship remains to be seen, especially if they have to beat a team like the Boston Celtics over the course of a seven-game series. However, one thing is a certainty - the Warriors are playing like contenders again. At this point, it would be foolish to not realize that.