The Golden State Warriors are back to drawing national media attention for the right reasons, having started with a 5-1 record since the blockbuster acquisition of Jimmy Butler just prior to the trade deadline.
Most recently the Warriors have returned from the All-Star break in dominant fashion, taking down two Western Conference rivals in the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks by a combined 48 points.
DeMarcus Cousins believes the Warriors are scary
Butler's presence has added a whole new dynamic and revived Golden State's stumbling season, with the 35-year-old's ability to finish inside and get to the free-throw line delivering a breath of fresh air in Steve Kerr's system.
At the same time Butler's game hasn't disrupted others, and instead only elevated Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and a number of young players like Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody. The Warriors are sixth in offense, third in defense and fourth in net rating in their six games with Butler.
Despite remaining ninth in the West standings, Golden State's recent form has raised the possibility of what they could achieve this season. Former Warrior center DeMarcus Cousins believes his old team could be a scary playoff opponent, and that teams at the top of the standings should be trying to avoid them in the first-round.
"I'm scared. An if I'm one or two, I'm lowkey ducking. You know? Let's lose a couple games, see if we can get another team in that first-round," Cousins said on Run It Back. "Any team with Stephen Curry in the first-round, I'm scared.
Teams like the OKC Thunder should avoid a first-round playoff matchup with the Warriors at all costs says @boogiecousins 👀 pic.twitter.com/RBuG97OmGq
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 24, 2025
At this point it's nearly impossible for the Oklahoma City Thunder to drop from the top seed in the West standings, having currently held a 9.5 game advantage over the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies and third-seed Denver Nuggets who are both 37-20.
The two-seed is certainly up for grabs and could be claimed by a number of teams, but either way Golden State will be hoping to avoid the top two anyway. The Warriors mindset is solely focused on landing a top six spot and staying out of the Play-In Tournament, with those chances vastly improved just based on the first few days following the All-Star break.
Other results have gone right for Golden State, meaning they're only 1.5 games behind the sixth-seed L.A. Clippers, while the Minnesota Timberwolves and Mavericks are both just half a game ahead. The Warriors have 25 games to ensure a playoff berth, and based on current form, Cousins' comments may be well and truly spot on.