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Golden State’s midseason awards

By Carlos Murillo

January 12, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35), guard Stephen Curry (30), and guard Klay Thompson (11) during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pistons 127-107. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 12, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35), guard Stephen Curry (30), and guard Klay Thompson (11) during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pistons 127-107. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors
January 16, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrate against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 126-91. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Win – MLK Day over Cleveland

The Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. They became the first team to do so. Then they signed Kevin Durant.

It seems like the two teams are on a collision course towards a third straight matchup in the Finals. They’ve split the series and need to play the tiebreaker. Both teams are the teams to beat in their respective conferences.

The Cavaliers had beaten the Warriors three times in a row, but had not beaten them with Durant. Then Christmas Day rolled around and Kyrie Irving’s late game-winning turnaround extended their winning streak over the Bay’s team. Despite being regular season, it wasn’t a “regular” game.

The Warriors needed a win over the Cavs, especially on their home floor. Fans on both sides can downplay the significance (after their team loses), but these games mean something to the players. They want to win.

Golden State didn’t want to lose four in a row to anyone, let alone their biggest rivals. They made sure they handled their business. They blew the Cavaliers out 126-91 on MLK Day.

The Dubs neutralized the Cavs’ shiny new toy in Kyle Korver. They kept Irving in check. They rendered Kevin Love useless before he exited with injury and kept Tristan Thompson off the glass.

On the other side, Durant built on his X-Mas Day performance and further proved that Cleveland can’t stop him. The Warriors’ Thompson went for 26 of his own points. Curry finally broke his streak of struggling against the Cavaliers and played a more aggressive game, adding 20 of his own points.

Regular season wins are important, for several reasons. Golden State needed to win this game and they did in convincing manner.

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