It had the clear qualification of being an early season starter and, in the grand scheme, completely meaningless, got the first look at the new-look Golden State Warriors in Saturday’s win over Denver Nukets 107-105. Needless to say, this is not the old dynasty Warriors. But this is not last season’s worst Warriors. It’s somewhere in the middle, and Saturday’s victory provided a starting point to discuss what to expect from Steff Curry and company this season. Depending on the defense the Warriors acted defensively from the tab, putting pressure on Denver’s ball handlers and gathering in the paint. Kelly O’Brien Jr. and Andrew Wiggins were both defensively involved, and O’Brien’s energy really stood out. Curry was aiming to add Jamal Murray, and the Knuckets star was able to cut through the infiltration without getting dirty despite playing tight. Murray seems to be playing about 60 percent. The Warriors do not consider it a major semi-court offense (if they do not turn things around completely, we will get it in a moment), which means they will be more dependent on stops and thefts to change fuel opportunities, where the curry can look open and the Wiggins and Oprah can take advantage of their playing ability. When you add Tremond Green to the mix, the perimeter defense of the Golden State is likely to be in the top 10, and if James Wiseman and Kevon Looney can add something meaningful to the interior, the Warriors could be in good shape. Kelly Warriors play-by-play man Bob Fitzgerald in the corner is going to wear this phrase quickly, but it’s true: Kelly O’Brien is going to get a lot of three in the corner, and if he knocks them at an efficient ratio, it will go a long way as the release valve for the pressure facing the curry. On Saturday the Oprah did not shoot well, 1 in 6 from the depths, but the look was there and they were clean. O’Brien shot 35 percent off three games last season, but there are some questions as to whether he can do it again. For the Warriors in the West to be a real problem, O’Brien not only had to do it again, he had to upgrade that number to a 37- or 38 percent clip, which created curry where he had every opportunity to do so in the increased space. While the Warriors are similar to the 3-point shootout, this is not the old Warriors again. On Saturday, they shot only 40 out of 11 from Downtown (27.5 percent), and 22 out of 5 starting players. Outside of the Charcoal, going 2 for 7 from depth and 3 for 10 on Saturday, this Warriors team does not have a truly reliable shooter, i.e. the likes of O’Brien and Wiggins (Saturday 3 to 6 for 2), who are capable but not always consistent. Should shoot near their roof. I warn the collaborator now: this could be a point of frustration for Warriors fans all season, many of whom are spitting at the idea of returning to his choice of old curry and roll, shot-hunting ways. Steve Kerr does not believe it. Yes, it’s a pre-season game, but it’s already hard on the stomachs of Wiggins, Eric Pasal and Wiggins, all trembling ball handlers and pretty basic passersby, so much can be said in half court possessions when running around without the curry ball. Take a look at the Portland Trail Blazers game and you will find Damien Lillard taking complete control of every possession. Begging Kervy to do it with Charcoal would be serious, but patience would be key. When everyone gets an opinion at the end of the attack, everyone engages in self-defense, and Kerr believes there is a lot of truth in that. It would be much easier to double the ball charcoal without waiting for Clay Thompson to punish teams with open trinities; In theory, moving him makes it harder for him to double, and at least keeps the collective head of defense in a loop, which again, in theory, opens things up for Wiggins and Oprah to infiltrate. Curry is always going to buy his character; He believes and proves that cooperation and domination do not have to be mutual opinions. Warriors fans have to believe this and believe in the process, especially when they have to do some thin shows that were initially unfamiliar, going into curry acquisition mode would be a quick and obvious fix. Encouraging performances Jordan Poole began to click in the last few months of his rookie season, and the second-year defender came off the field strongly on Saturday with 10 points out of 5. He was confident and gentle, and again, none of the shooting / scores the Warriors could get from outside players were going to help greatly. Old friend Kent Bassmore was so cute, he hit the basket and did his long, agile thing at the defensive end. Bassmore finished with 13 points and five rebounds, and he came up with seven free-throws in 18 minutes. Bassmore will have to contribute to the attack without trying to do much, which is a great line. His energy will be just as important as it was on Saturday. Finally, raise a class for Kevon Looney, who has been plagued by injuries since he played just 20 games last season, starting with a hamstring at training camp and eventually requiring torn core muscle surgery. Looney released eight points (3-in-5 shooting), six rebounds and three assists on Saturday, and he moved well. Whether Looney starts or gets off the bench as soon as Wiseman starts fitting, the Warriors will have a big role to play if they have any chance of competing with the Western Conference elite – including Nicola Joachim, who played entirely with the Warriors on Saturday, scoring 26 points, 10 boards and five boards in 9-off-11 shooting. It seems to him going at half speed.