The Golden State Warriors have taken a commanding 3-0 series lead on the Denver Nuggets and are one of the few teams having yet to lose in the playoffs. Boston is the only team that’s yet to lose a game.
The Dubs are led by two-time MVP Stephen Curry, but given his mid-March foot injury, the star has come off the bench in the team’s first three postseason performances. The selflessness of Curry has been on full display.
The Golden State Warriors have won their first 3 postseason games and have done so behind a dynamic backcourt trio, which is among the best in the league.
However, in some sense, him also taking a backseat has opened the door for Jordan Poole’s continued dominance. Poole is averaging a team-high 28.7 points per game in the playoffs.
He led the way with a game-high 30 points in Game 1. It’s been an impressive stretch of play, and it’s one that fans knew was coming as Poole averaged around 26 points per game during the home stretch of the season.
Everyone has also been able to see the return of five-time All-Star guard Klay Thompson to the national spotlight. He’s averaging 22 points per game as well. Then there’s Curry who is also topping 20 points per game, notching 25.7 per game.
Those three have been the core staple for the Warriors through their first three games, and while they’re the trio that The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor is talking about, one also has to include the importance of Draymond Green, which he did.
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole are the best offensive trio in the NBA. Draymond Green is the league’s best defender. Warriors have depth, experience. Other teams have injuries. The Death Lineup is back. Golden State is the favorite again.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) April 22, 2022
Put three dominant guars with Green, who is among the best defenders in NBA history, and it’s a roster that, as O’Connor noted, has depth, experience and is free from injury. All three are almost necessary for a true title contender.
The Warriors have been there 5 times in the last 7 years, and they have a roster that’s eerily similar to the one that initially got them their first run at the NBA Finals in 2015.
While it wasn’t the same thinking earlier in the season, it should be championship-or-bust mode for the Warriors, especially as the Big 3 are all clearly still in their respective prime. Expect the Warriors to close out the series against Denver on Sunday afternoon.