The Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics last night 114-111, improving to a staggering 36-6 and winning their 19th consecutive home game.
And it wasn’t enough. The Warriors have made such a hobby of blowing teams out, especially at home at Oracle Arena, that a three-point win over a sub-.500 Celtics team feels like a underachievement.
That is what this Warriors team has become. They have the best record in the league and are the favorites to win the NBA title. But the playoffs don’t start until April, and until then the Warriors have 40 games left to not be “bored with winning” as Stephen Curry said in the post-game press conference last night.
Here's the exact Curry quote: "I don't feel like we're tired, I think it's just... having the challenge of not getting bored with winning...
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) January 26, 2015
Every game isn’t going to be a blowout. Klay Thompson can’t drop 37 every quarter. The Warriors have a rather large target on their back, and every night around the league they are going to get the absolute best shot from other teams. That is why it is vital to “stick with the program,” as Curry said following last night’s win.
Continuing to win is obviously important for playoff seeding and home court advantage (where the Warriors are nearly unbeatable), but keeping that edge and drive going in to the playoffs will be important for the Warriors. They can’t coast in to the postseason and hope to “turn it on” come playoff time. We’ve all seen teams do that in the past and get bounced in the first round.
If there was ever a coach to lead this Warriors team in to this rarefied air, it would be Steve Kerr. His 1995-96 Chicago Bulls demolished the league to the tune of a 72-10 record. Michael Jordan might have had a bit to do with that. But as the Warriors creep in to the conversation of similar teams, Kerr knows it’s not only about playing against your opponent on the floor, but yourselves.
“I think that’s a standard that championship teams understand,” Kerr said. “There’s a bar that’s set, and you’re trying to reach that bar each night.”
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The Warriors have set the bar ridiculously high, and now it’s on them each night, no matter the opponent, to reach that bar. Winning has gone from the desired result, to the expected result. It’s become not about the fact that the the Warriors are winning, but how they win. Think about that for a second Warriors fans, because very few teams ever experience the amount of dominance in a season that Golden State is putting out there on a nightly basis.
The Warriors will obviously be amped up for big games coming up with the top echelon of the East, and still need to prove they can beat the Clippers and Spurs, but the coaches and players all realize they are in the middle of an incredible season and are focused on making it the best in franchise history.
It starts with not getting bored with winning, because this team is poised to do a lot more of that.
Next: Game Rewind: Golden State Warriors Sloppy in Win over Celtics