NBA: Biggest Need For Each Western Conference Contender
By Ryan Piers
Golden State Warriors
Nice Surprise: The 31-2 first half
There are dozens of small surprises to choose from. I think most fans are slightly surprised Stephen Curry is producing MVP caliber play, again, with a 30/6/5 stat line. I think most fans are slightly surprised that Draymond Green leads the league in triple-doubles, and maybe even perplexed at how 35-year-old Luke Walton has garnered this much respect. But the biggest surprised is undoubtedly the way Golden State is crushing the league, with only five of their wins decided by less than five points. They aren’t just on track to break the Bulls 72-10 standard, they’re cruising to it. They only thing that can stop them is injuries.
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Needs Improvement: Playing with injuries
There wasn’t a chink in the armor, or even a scratch until the Dallas Mavericks pulverized the Warriors 114-91. Granted Golden State was playing sans Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, as well as Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Leandro Barbosa. But that’s exactly the point. If half the Warriors are injured they are beatable. Who knows, maybe they are struck by the plague in the playoffs or the flu in the finals. Does anyone still make voodoo dolls? Yes, that is what the rest of the NBA should invest in. Voodoo dolls.