If you've ever spent a Tuesday night screaming at your television because Steve Kerr decided to play an all-bench lineup in the fourth quarter, you know that being a Golden State fan is a specific kind of stress. It’s a roller coaster. One minute you're watching Steph Curry hit a 35-footer that defies the laws of physics, and the next, you're looking at a box score trying to figure out how a "dynasty" just lost to a lottery team. This is exactly where the Warriors Plus Minus podcast found its niche. It wasn’t just another sports talk show; it became the digital therapy session for a fanbase that transitioned from decades of irrelevance to the highest peaks of NBA history.
The show, primarily hosted by Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic, didn't just recap games. Nobody needs a box score read back to them in 2026. Instead, it offered a window into the Chase Center locker room that felt personal. Slater is the guy who knows every rotation stat off the top of his head. Thompson is the storyteller who understands the soul of Oakland and the Bay Area. Together, they created a dynamic that felt less like a broadcast and more like eavesdropping on two guys who actually know what Joe Lacob is thinking.
The Chemistry That Made Warriors Plus Minus Podcast Different
Most team-specific podcasts fall into two traps. They are either "homers" who think the team can do no wrong, or they are shock-jocks looking for clicks by calling for everyone to be traded. This show took a third path. It was grounded in beat reporting. Because Slater and Thompson are actually there—at the practices, on the planes, in the post-game scrums—the insight was filtered through real-world observation rather than Twitter speculation.
You’d hear about how Draymond Green was mentoring a rookie in the corner of the gym, or the specific way Klay Thompson’s mood shifted after a tough shooting night. It’s that granular detail. That’s the "plus-minus" of the title—the hidden impact that doesn't always show up in the highlights but determines the outcome of a season.
The podcast succeeded because it mirrored the complexity of the team itself. The Warriors aren't a simple organization. They are a mix of "Light Years" tech-bro ambition and old-school grit. When the Warriors Plus Minus podcast broke down a game, they weren't just talking about pick-and-rolls. They were talking about the organizational friction between the aging core and the "two timelines" strategy that defined the early 2020s.
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Why the "Two Timelines" Debate Defined the Show
For a solid two years, every single episode felt like a referendum on James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody. Fans were divided. Half the Bay wanted to trade the kids for a veteran like Pascal Siakam or Kevin Durant (again). The other half wanted to build a bridge to the future.
Slater and Thompson provided the nuance this debate lacked on social media. They didn't just say "the kids are playing bad." They explained why the defensive schemes were too complex for a 19-year-old to master in three months. They talked about the pressure of playing next to Steph Curry, a man whose gravity is so strong it actually makes the game harder for teammates who aren't ready for the spotlight.
Honestly, it was some of the best basketball education available for free. You started to learn the "why" behind the "what."
The Evolution of the Warriors Plus Minus Podcast Format
The show wasn't always a static thing. It shifted. Sometimes it was a quick 20-minute reaction after a playoff win. Other times, it was an hour-long deep dive into the luxury tax. If you want to understand why the Warriors eventually had to let players like Gary Payton II walk (the first time) or trade Jordan Poole, this podcast was the primary source for the financial gymnastics involved.
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- The "Emergency" Pods: These usually dropped after a trade or a major injury. The audio quality might be a little rough because someone was recording in a parking lot, but the urgency was real.
- The Guest Appearances: Every so often, they’d bring in someone like Tim Kawakami or Sam Amick. These episodes usually felt a bit more "insider baseball," focusing on the front office moves and the coaching staff's future.
- The Mailbags: This is where the fans got to vent. "Should we trade Draymond?" was a recurring theme that the hosts handled with a mix of realism and respect for what No. 23 brought to the floor.
Understanding the "Plus-Minus" Philosophy
The name of the podcast is clever because "plus-minus" is the most controversial stat in basketball. It’s flawed. It’s noisy. But it tells a story. On the show, the hosts used this as a metaphor. They looked at the "plus" of the culture—the winning, the joy, the ball movement. But they never shied away from the "minus"—the aging legs, the massive payroll, and the occasional locker room punch that threatened to derail everything.
How to Listen and What to Look For
While the landscape of sports media changes fast, the archives of the Warriors Plus Minus podcast serve as a historical record of the greatest era in Bay Area sports. If you are a new fan trying to understand how this team was built, going back to the 2021-2022 championship season episodes is a masterclass in sports journalism.
You can find the show on most major platforms, though its home was primarily under The Athletic’s umbrella.
- Search for "The Athletic NBA Show": Often, team-specific pods are bundled into a larger feed.
- Follow the Reporters: Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II are the keys. If they move to a new project, the "spirit" of the podcast usually follows them.
- Check the Date: Always look at when an episode was recorded. In the NBA, a trade that happens at 2:00 PM makes a 1:00 PM podcast obsolete.
The Impact on Modern Fandom
We live in an era of "player stans." There are Steph fans who don't even care about the Warriors. There are Klay fans who followed him to Dallas. The Warriors Plus Minus podcast did something difficult: it kept the focus on the team. It educated a generation of fans to look past the box score.
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You started noticing the screen-assists. You started seeing the way Kevon Looney positions his hips to seal a rebound. You became a smarter fan because the hosts treated you like an adult who could handle complex basketball talk.
Real-World Actionable Steps for Warriors Fans
If you want to get the most out of your Warriors fandom and the insights provided by shows like this, don't just consume the content passively.
- Track the "Net Rating": When the hosts talk about a specific lineup, go to NBA.com/stats and look it up. See if your eyes match the numbers.
- Read the Writing: The podcast is great, but the written articles by Slater and Thompson provide the data that backs up their verbal takes. Use the podcast as the "flavor" and the articles as the "substance."
- Engage with the Community: The comment sections and Twitter threads surrounding these episodes are where the real debate happens. Just keep it civil—Draymond does enough technical-foul-worthy talking for all of us.
The Golden State Warriors are in a transitional phase. The dynasty isn't "over," but it’s definitely grey around the temples. Shows like the Warriors Plus Minus podcast are essential because they bridge the gap between the glory days and whatever comes next. They remind us that winning isn't just about talent; it's about the friction, the finances, and the sheer luck of having a generational superstar who actually wants to stay in one place.
Stay tuned to the feed. Even in the off-season, the drama in the NBA never actually stops. Whether it’s a draft-day trade or a random mid-August workout video that makes everyone think a bench player is about to win Most Improved Player, there's always something to break down.
Next Steps for the Die-Hard Fan:
To truly level up your knowledge, start by listening to the "Season Preview" episodes from the last three years back-to-back. It’s fascinating to hear what the "experts" thought would happen versus the reality of the NBA season. This will help you develop a more cynical, and therefore more accurate, lens through which to view trade rumors and preseason hype. After that, make sure your notifications are on for Anthony Slater's Twitter feed—in the world of the Warriors, news breaks fast, and the podcast is usually the first place to find the context behind the headlines.