Time-Machine Matchup: We Believe Warriors vs. ‘25 Dubs

WHO YA GOT?! B DIDDY OR THE CHEF?

The beauty of basketball hypotheticals is they let us imagine the impossible. What happens when you take the chaotic brilliance of the 2007 We Believe Warriors and pit them against the 2025 Jimmy Butler-infused Dubs? Let’s break down this cross-generational clash of Golden State basketball philosophies.

Backcourt Clash: Baron Davis/Jason Richardson vs. Steph Curry/Brandin Podziemski

Baron Davis was basketball’s perfect storm – 225 pounds of swagger, explosiveness, and fearlessness rolled into a point guard. When Baron lowered that shoulder, defenders had two choices: take the charge or become a poster. His ability to bulldoze through defenses opened everything else up for those We Believe Warriors.

Meanwhile, Steph Curry has redefined what’s possible on a basketball court. The greatest shooter ever doesn’t just make threes; he bends defenses until they break from 30 feet away. The contrast couldn’t be more stark – Baron’s physical dominance versus Steph’s spatial wizardry.

J-Rich brought aerial artistry and improved outside shooting, forming a backcourt that attacked in waves. Podziemski doesn’t have Richardson’s athleticism (who does?), but his basketball IQ and scrappy defense would make this sophomore a surprisingly tough matchup.

The fascinating chess match: Baron would absolutely try bullying Curry physically, while Steph would force Davis to chase him through a maze of screens. Richardson would hunt Podziemski relentlessly, while Podz would counter with cutting and off-ball movement that wasn’t part of the 2007 basketball vocabulary.

Wing Warfare: Stephen Jackson vs. Moses Moody/Jimmy Butler

Captain Jack was Golden State’s emotional engine – a fearless shooter with defensive versatility who played with permanent chip-on-shoulder intensity. His ability to guard multiple positions while hitting timely threes made the We Believe machine function.

Moody’s developing 3-and-D game would be severely tested against Jackson’s savvy, while Butler would be quite the counterpart to Jackson’s brashness. Captain Jack vs Playoff Jimmy? SIGN ME UP! The contrast is fascinating. Jackson played with beautiful recklessness; Butler operates with calculated aggression. Butler’s post game and midrange mastery could create headaches for the We Believe squad. Both are basketball truth-tellers who back up their talk, I would pay to see this matchup.

Frontcourt Battle: Harrington/Biedrins vs. Green/Looney

Harrington was the prototype stretch-four before the position existed, pulling opposing bigs away from the rim. Biedrins’ contributions often get overlooked in We Believe nostalgia, but the Latvian big man was actually a double-double threat. His rebounding and shot-blocking provided the defensive anchor that allowed the chaos-merchants to gamble defensively. Yes, his free throws looked like a man trying to throw a bowling ball through a garden hose, but he knew his role and embraced it.

Draymond Green is the defensive quarterback who would absolutely be screaming adjustments every possession against Nellie’s offensive chaos. He might also get ejected for trying to punch somebody? Also don’t forget Kevon Looney has had some monster rebounding games in the playoffs; is it crazy to imagine him getting 20 boards in a game or two in this series?

The strategic warfare: Nelson would try pulling Green away from the paint with Harrington’s shooting, while Kerr would likely use Draymond as his defensive coordinator on the floor. Biedrins would struggle mightily against the modern Warriors’ spacing, while Harrington would have moments where his shooting creates genuine problems.

The Sixth Man Factor: Ellis/Pietrus vs. Kuminga/Hield

Young Monta was discovering his powers as the Mississippi Bullet, bringing microwave scoring that earned him Most Improved Player honors. His ability to get buckets in bunches would give today’s Warriors bench absolute fits.

Pietrus was so much more than just a 3-and-D guy – he brought a level of defensive intensity and physicality that energized Oracle Arena. The French Prince wouldn’t just contest shots; he’d make wings work for every inch of hardwood. His corner three was wet when it needed to be, but his real value came in those momentum-swinging defensive sequences where he’d lock down an opponent and turn defense into transition offense. In today’s NBA, Pietrus would be making $18 million a year as a premium role player.

Kuminga represents the athletic freak that even the high-flying 2007 squad would appreciate, while Hield’s shooting gravity would force Nelson to adjust defensive rotations he typically preferred to ignore entirely.

The Coaching Chess Match: Nelson vs. Kerr

Nellie’s basketball philosophy valued pace, space, and mismatches long before the league embraced these concepts. His willingness to try unconventional lineups made him the perfect coach for a group of misfits with complementary skills.

Kerr’s motion-heavy system with defensive principles represents the evolved, championship-refined version of those same ideas. Where Nelson prioritized offensive creativity at all costs, Kerr demands two-way excellence.

Strategic Battlegrounds

The We Believe Warriors would push pace relentlessly, hunting mismatches through early offense and isolations. Davis would target Curry, Jackson would go at Podziemski, and Harrington would try dragging Green away from the basket.

Today’s Warriors would counter with superior spacing, off-ball movement, and defensive discipline. Curry’s gravity would create openings that didn’t exist in 2007, while Butler’s midrange game would provide a bailout option against scrambling defenses.

The 2007 squad would absolutely have runs where they’d make you question everything – Baron demolishing someone at the rim, J-Rich hitting an impossible fadeaway, or Jackson talking trash after hitting three straight jumpers.

The current Warriors would respond with stretches of beautiful basketball – Curry relocating for a corner three, Butler making the perfect read out of the post, or Green quarterbacking three consecutive defensive stops.

In this basketball multiverse, what makes the matchup so compelling isn’t just the contrasting styles but how both teams represent different points in Golden State’s evolutionary timeline. The We Believe Warriors were the basketball chaos that showed what was possible; the current Warriors represent the refined blueprint that emerged from those early experiments.

Both teams share that essential Warriors DNA – making you believe that basketball miracles aren’t just possible, they’re inevitable. Whether it would be Baron’s bulldozing drives or Steph’s gravitational pull that prevailed... that’s what makes basketball the perfect platform for these beautiful hypotheticals.

Who ya got?