"So, yes, the Warriors won. They entered this quasi-bye week - a scheduling quirk that feels like a gift from the heavens - feeling good, if a bit conflicted. But let's be honest: Those wins don't change anything. They're just delicious, sugary, satisfying empty calories. They offer zero nutritional value for a team trying to figure out if it's a contender or a pretender."
"The Warriors' last two games felt like a fever dream. That, or it's been so long since they last played that the memories are getting fuzzy. Did we really see Pat Spencer turning into the second coming of Jeremy Lin? Did the Dubs really beat the Cleveland Cavaliers and then dismantle the Chicago Bulls? Did they have swagger? Momentum? This Spencsanity that's sweeping through the Bay is clearly infectious and possibly dangerous."
"The Warriors' next five games leading into Christmas will tell us a lot. No more tanking Bulls. No more crumbling Cavs. The upcoming slate features a gauntlet of teams sitting right there in the Warriors' "corridor" of the Western Conference - the Timberwolves, Suns, Blazers and - sprinkled with an Eastern Conference playoff team - the Magic - that isn't above resorting to pugilism to win."
The Warriors won consecutive games against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls, producing excitement around Pat Spencer and the team's perceived momentum. Both opponents are struggling: the Cavaliers lack cohesion compared with last season, and the Bulls appear to be headed toward the bottom of the standings. Those victories provide immediate satisfaction but little substantive evidence about the Warriors' true quality. The wins are described as empty calories that do not resolve whether the team is a legitimate contender or a pretender. The team's next five games before Christmas, featuring Timberwolves, Suns, Blazers and Magic, represent a decisive stretch to determine progress.
Read at The Mercury News
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