Golden State Warriors: Best and worst case scenarios for playoffs

Best-case scenarios

Okay, so what if things actually don’t fall apart in the playoffs, can the Golden State Warriors win a championship this season after all?

Big three hits their stride

Make no mistake, the Warriors’ fate will be determined by three players. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

With this being said, fans should feel confident in their chances of putting up a fight.

The big three have a resume that speaks for itself. A little bit of good luck in the health department will put the Warriors in a position to beat anybody behind the sheer star power of their core.

Curry and Thompson have both struggled at points this season but the return of Green was shaping up to be the remedy they needed. Putting the puzzle pieces back together will give the Dubs as good of a chance as anyone.

Avoid tough matchups

Another x-factor that is out of the Warriors’ control, the Dubs should hope for some favorable matchups. This means avoiding some of the heavy hitters that could decimate their undersized frontcourt.

The Denver Nuggets might have the reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic but could be an easy matchup for the Dubs as they lack star power in other positions. Still, Golden State would probably prefer drawing Minnesota in the first round, who is even more pressed for star power outside of Karl-Anthony Towns.

From there, it’s hard to call any matchup an easy one. Nonetheless, Golden State will feel comfortable against a younger, less experienced Memphis team in round two before hoping for a way to avoid Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns in the conference finals. It’s unlikely, but a matchup against Utah or Dallas would be favorable in comparison.

Then, there are the NBA Finals. Of all the teams that could come out of the East, Golden State will want to avoid Philadelphia and Milwaukee the most, as Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo could be unstoppable for a short-staffed frontcourt.

Regardless, the Warriors will have to accept the challenge of whoever is in front of them. But, some luck could grant them a better chance at winning it all.