The Warriors are the West’s most dominant team through first few games
The Golden State Warriors, especially at times throughout the season, were not the favorite to win the Western Conference, but through the first few games of each series, they look like the most dominant team in the conference.
For starters, Golden State is the only team in the West having yet to lose a game, and that includes teams like the top-seeded Phoenix Suns having lost at home. The No. 2-seeded Memphis Grizzlies also lost at home.
The Golden State Warriors, one of four teams having yet to lose in the playoffs, look like the clear-cut favorite to represent the West in the NBA Finals.
The Warriors, on the other hand, destroyed the Denver Nuggets, who are led by reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, both times at home and then went on the road to Ball Arena and won by 5 there as well.
Overall, the Sixers, Heat and Celtics also haven’t lost in the playoffs with the 76ers the only other team to have a 3-0 series lead.
Golden State has just about everything you’d like to see in a championship-contending team. With Stephen Curry looking at 100%, they’re healthy and have the best two free-throw shooters in the NBA which will be helpful.
On top of that, they rank among the top teams in the league in assist rate. This is an unselfish core that has bought into the way Steve Kerr wants to play basketball, and with a proven track record of success, he could be on a collision course with another NBA Finals.
The Dubs also have found another death lineup that Denver has had no answers for. In 23 minutes, the Andrew Wiggins, Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green lineup has a 36.8 net rating and a 142.6 offensive rating.
Their floor spacing makes it easy for them to both destroy leads with elite three-point shooting and extend leads. Green makes this lineup incredibly difficult to stop as he has the ability to, at 6-foot-6, limit opposing centers.
The eruption of star Jordan Poole, who ranks No. 1 in true shooting percentage of players that average over 20 points per game, has been huge as well. His playmaking has been critically important for Golden State.
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The Warriors are looking primed for a lengthy postseason run, and after a season that had several tough bumps, that’s exactly what this team and fanbase needs.