Predicting the Golden State Warriors' Player Rotation For 2015-16

By Duncan Smith

Predicting the Golden State Warriors' Player Rotation For 2015-16

Golden State Warriors
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The Golden State Warriors blitzed the NBA last year, winning an incredible 67 games en route to a championship. The Warriors didn't make many moves in the offseason, aside from trading David Lee to the Boston Celtics, but when you're this good you don't fix what isn't broken. The Warriors expect to challenge for another title in 2015-16, and here's a look at the starting lineup they are projected to put on the floor.

Point Guard - Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry
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Point Guard - Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry
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Steph Curry was an offensive dynamo for the Warriors in 2015-16, winning the NBA MVP award. He scored 23.8 points per game despite rarely needing to play fourth quarters due to the number of blowouts they won. He shot 48.7 percent from the floor, and an incredible 44.3 percent from three. Curry is a force to be reckoned with and will make defenses pay if they take their eyes off him for a split second anywhere on the offensive side of the floor.

Shooting Guard - Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson
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Shooting Guard - Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson
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The younger of the "Splash Brothers," Klay Thompson had a career year in 2015-16. He scored 21.7 points per game in spite of playing the fewest minutes since his rookie season thanks largely to the fact that like Curry, he didn't have to play fourth quarters often due to games being out of reach early. Thompson shot 46.3 percent from the floor and 43.9 percent from three-point range. He is about to hit his prime and won't turn 25 until February.

Small Forward - Harrison Barnes

Harrison Barnes
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Small Forward - Harrison Barnes

Harrison Barnes
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Harrison Barnes started every game at small forward last year after new head coach Steve Kerr assigned him the role over veteran Andre Iguodala. Iguodala was an outstanding sixth man and won the Finals MVP, but Barnes delivered. He shot 48 percent from the floor and 40.5 percent from three-point range, scoring 10 points and averaging 5.5 rebounds per game. Since you don't mess with what works, he should start at small forward again this year.

Power Forward - Draymond Green

Draymond Green
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Power Forward - Draymond Green

Draymond Green
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Draymond Green is a charter member of the all-everything team. Despite his diminutive size, the 6-foot-7 power/small forward is able to defend any position on the floor with a high level of excellence, and it enables the Warriors to play their highly adaptable and fluid style of defense. Green can play anywhere from small forward to center, but he's expected to start and line up at power forward the majority of the time.

Center - Andrew Bogut

Andrew Bogut
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Center - Andrew Bogut

Andrew Bogut
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Andrew Bogut is very good at being exactly what he is -- a dependable big man. He started 65 games last year, playing 23 minutes per game and pulling in eight rebounds per game. He eats minutes, shoots a very respectable 53 percent from the floor and fills the lane, enabling the Warriors' quick wings to rotate and switch on defense with abandon. Bogut does what he is asked to do, and he'll do that again in 2015-16.

Duncan Smith is an NBA writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @d_smith77, or “Like” him on Facebook.

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