Alright, so I was just thinkin’ about past NBA stuff the other day. Like, everyone knows the Warriors were crazy good for a while, right? Especially around 2017. But then I thought, hmm, who exactly was playin’ on that team? Like, the main guys, the ones gettin’ most minutes.
Starting Off
First thing I did? Just kinda sat down at my computer, scratched my head for a sec. Remembered Steph Curry and KD, obviously. But who else? Klay Thompson, yeah! And… Draymond Green, that’s right. Felt pretty sure about those four. But the center spot? Couldn’t quite remember who held it down most nights that year. Got stuck for a minute.
Took Some Deep Digging
Started typin’ stuff like “GSW 2017 starting five” into the search bar. Boom, stuff started comin’ up. Confirmed I was right about Steph, Klay, KD, and Dray – those guys started almost every dang game they were healthy for. They were the engine.
But that center spot? Ahhh, right! That took some scrollin’. Turns out, they rotated guys depending on the matchup a bit, especially towards the playoffs. But the name that kept poppin’ up as the main starter? Zaza Pachulia. Honestly, I’d kinda forgotten Zaza! He wasn’t flashy, just did the dirty work.
Then I remembered Javale McGee! Looked it up – yep, he came off the bench but played important minutes, brought energy. Felt good connectin’ that dot.
The Bigger Picture
Knew there had to be more. Like, who else came off the bench to give those stars a breather? Dug deeper.
- Andre Iguodala: Super important! Came off the bench mostly, the calm veteran. Could defend anyone.
- Shaun Livingston: Ah, the mid-range king! So smooth off the bench, ran the second unit.
- David West: Yesss, tough guy, loved his grit. Another smart vet off the bench.
- Ian Clark: Shooter! Played his role, knocked down shots when needed.
- Patrick McCaw: Young guy at the time, showed some flashes off the bench.
Almost forgot Kevon Looney was a rookie then too! Didn’t play much that year, but was there.
Putting It All Together
Honestly blew my mind a little just listing them out again. That 2017 team wasn’t just the big names Steph and KD, although those two were unstoppable. It was the whole package:
- The Core Four Starters: Steph, Klay, KD, Dray.
- The Starting Center: Zaza most nights.
- The Killer Bench: Iggy, Shaun, David West, Javale McGee… plus shooters like Clark and McCaw.
Lookin’ back, it makes total sense why they won it all. So much talent, so much depth. Just a stacked squad from top to bottom. Crazy times.