'Strength In Numbers' more than a slogan for Warriors

When Steve Kerr took over as Golden State Warriors coach in 2014, he brought new plans for the offense and a new slogan, "Strength In Numbers." Initially, the slogan was part of a pre-season video, designed to encourage players to focus on the whole team, rather than individual statistics or awards. But it has grown into what team president Rick Welts has called “the underlying philosophy that’s created the success we’re experiencing right now.” 

You can see it in the Warriors' style of play -– the team has comfortably led the league in assists every year under Kerr -– and also in their team dynamics. Andre Iguodala willingly moved to the bench to begin the 2014-15 season. But during their past two playoff runs, “Strength In Numbers” has become more than the motto printed on promotional T-shirts for playoff games. It’s a reassuring mantra about the team’s depth and its ability to overcome injuries.

Kevin Durant was roundly criticized for joining the 73-win Warriors in 2016, but his decision makes sense through the prism of "Strength In Numbers." The Warriors shared the ball more democratically after KD signed with Golden State,  a dramatic difference from his playing alongside Russell Westbrook. And, of course, depth propelled the team.

After a Finals berth in 2012, Durant ’s tenure in Oklahoma City was defined by the team playing short-handed in the playoffs. It traded sixth man James Harden before the 2012-13 season, only to watch Westbrook tear his ACL in the second game of that year’s playoffs. The top-seeded Thunder lost in Round 2.

The next year, Serge Ibaka hurt his shoulder before the conference finals loss to the Spurs, and in 2015, Durant broke his foot and the Thunder missed the playoffs. At this point, who could blame KD for wanting to make sure an injury wouldn’t derail his chance at a title? That was soon put to the test in Golden State when Zaza Pachulia fell on his leg, after which Durant missed a quarter of the season and two playoff games. The Warriors still won the title with Durant, and repeated in 2018 despite Steph Curry and Iguodala each missing six playoff games.

Kerr’s commitment to playing a lot of guys has occasionally backfired. Festus Ezeli and Anderson Varejao combined for 19 minutes, five fouls and one point in a four-point loss to Cleveland in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. (That's a combined -18 plus-minus.) And Kerr's baffling decision in that game to start Damian Jones, who’d played three minutes in the previous six months, led to three quick fouls and an immediate deficit for the Warriors. 

But Kerr and the organization believe that enduring bad matchups and bad minutes are worth it because of the team unity it fosters, and the game reps it gives backups. This season, with the team seemingly stuck with their thinnest bench in years, Kerr played 11 guys in the crucial Game 6 road win against Houston. It was a gamble, but he could feel confident knowing Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney had played meaningful minutes in the Finals a year earlier.

Why are they confident? Because Looney and Bell both know that if they’re hustling and cutting to the basket, Curry, Iguodala or Draymond Green will find them for easy dunks. With Curry forcing opponents to defend out to 30 feet from the basket, there’s a lot of space inside, which is how Shaun Livingston shot 80 percent against Portland in the Western Conference Finals despite an injured leg. Simply playing for the Warriors can elevate the confidence and performance of a reserve. 

Undrafted players such as Justin Holiday, now with the Grizzlies, and Ian Clark (Pelicans) have thrived after graduating from "Strength In Numbers University", and former Warrior/space cadet JaVale McGee (Lakers) turned into a reliable veteran. The Warriors might even be better when they’re a little thin. They won six straight since Durant got hurt against Houston, and they’re 34-4 overall with Curry and without KD.

Relying on numbers isn’t just a Warriors thing either. Did LeBron, then with the Heat, remake his game and learn how to win in the 2012 NBA Finals after losing in the Finals the previous season? It might have been LeBron adjusting his game, or it could have been the Heat’s addition of Shane Battier, who shot 15-for-26 from three-point range in the 2012 Finals, and the team replacing an aging Mike Bibby with young Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole. Kerr’s mentor, Phil Jackson, stole Game 6 of the 1992 Finals when he played a lineup of Scottie Pippen and four backups and erased Portland’s 15-point lead. Twenty-seven years later in the Western Conference Finals, Portland must have had a similar feeling watching Warriors reserve Quinn Cook score with Steph Curry on the bench.

Now in the Finals, the Warriors are facing a Raptors team that used to be known for their “bench mob," reserves who would dominate off the bench, sometimes led by Kyle Lowry. After three bench mobbers went to Memphis in the Marc Gasol trade, it wasn’t clear that the bench would remain a strength. But then in the second round, Toronto got past Philadelphia because of Philly’s lack of a playable backup center. The Sixers were 90 points better than the Raptors with Joel Embiid on the court –- and 112 points worse when he was on the bench. And in the conference finals, the Raptors' series against Milwaukee turned thanks to huge performances by backups Norman Powell and new father Fred VanVleet. 

Without Durant for at least Game 1 of the Finals, the Warriors must hope their numbers are stronger than Toronto’s. Expect that "Strength In Numbers" to face an ultimate test.