The Warriors aren’t quite underdogs heading into the 2023-24 NBA season, but they certainly aren’t considered favorites.
NBA.com’s John Schuhmann released his annual general manager survey Tuesday, in which league executives voted on dozens of questions predicting the upcoming season's outcome.
The first request on the survey was for GMs to make a champion prediction. The Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets tied for first place in that category (33 percent apiece), followed by the Milwaukee Bucks (23 percent), Phoenix Suns (7 percent) and Los Angeles Clippers (3 percent).
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The Warriors did not receive a single vote in the poll. Now, how is something like that interpreted in the Golden State locker room?
“I don’t care. It makes no difference,” coach Steve Kerr said after practice Tuesday. “It never did anything for me when people picked us. It doesn’t do anything for me when they don’t.
"It’s just interesting stuff for fans to read. Nothing helpful or harmful to us. It’s definitely not any bulletin-board material. We’re not posting that on the locker-room wall, ‘No GMs picked us to win the title. How does that make you feel, fellas?’ I don’t think anybody cares.”
Golden State Warriors
Fair enough, coach.
The Warriors were picked by GMs to finish fourth in the Western Conference behind Denver, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers. They received 7 percent of the vote to finish second in the conference and 37 percent to finish third. No GM picked Golden State to finish atop the conference.
It might not be bulletin-board material, but being the underdog might be a breath of fresh air for the Warriors after journeying through last season with a big target on their backs as the defending champions.