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Will the Golden State Warriors finish as the first seed?

By Tony Pesta

OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 17: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a photo to celebrate his 15,000 point career milestone after a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on December 17, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 17: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a photo to celebrate his 15,000 point career milestone after a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on December 17, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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It’s been a wild season so far in the NBA, will the Golden State Warriors be able to walk away with the first seed at the end of the year?

The Golden State Warriors may be facing the hardest competition they have ever seen. The Western Conference is stronger than ever and the Eastern Conference is no longer a pushover. It will be tough, but do the Warriors have what it takes to finish as the one seed?

As of now, there are six different NBA teams with at least 20 wins through the first 30 games. The Warriors stand with a record of 21-and-10, making them the second seed in the West and the fourth best team overall.

Standing in front of the Warriors are the 21-9 Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have a roster stacked with young stars, many of which are having their break out seasons. The team currently has seven different players scoring in double figures.

Nikola Jokic is their leader, averaging 18.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.5 steals. Jokic would become the second player to ever put up these numbers, behind only Russell Westbrook who is on pace to do it for the third season in a row.

Denver is a hungry team. With a core made up of unproven players, the Nuggets are going to compete all season long for the number one seed. In contrast, the Warriors would prefer to conserve their energy in the regular season in favor of being at full strength during the playoffs.

Capturing the first seed is not at the top of the Dubs priority list. They understand that the road to an NBA championship is a long and tough one, therefore they will need all the rest they can get.

However, rest is a double-edged sword. If they allow another team to finish above them in the standings, the Warriors will lose homecourt advantage. In a season where the competition is stronger than ever, having homecourt might be crucial.

Next. The Warriors have a huge defensive problem. dark

The second half of the season should be easier for the Dubs. The first half was plagued by injury and thin rotations. With the debut of DeMarcus Cousins, the Warriors very well could hit a second wind and finish the year strong. I believe the Warriors will end the season as the first seed.

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