The Golden State Warriors, with the return of Kevin Durant, enter the playoffs as overwhelming favorites but can any one stop them?
The Golden State Warriors finished the NBA’s regular season with a 67-15 record and are relatively healthy. Success. Unrealistically, many expected this team to shatter the record set by last year’s Warriors of 73 wins. Though, that was unfair to pin on them.
Considering circumstances, which included the Warriors adding arguably the second best player in the NBA this past offseason, Golden State has been a success. For a team that ranks No. 1 and No. 2 in offense and defense, respectively, you wouldn’t know that this team just added a huge piece last summer.
The chemistry hasn’t missed a beat.
Unlike other teams that add major pieces and struggle to find their cohesion such as when LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami or when DeMarcus Cousins joined Anthony Davis down in New Orleans the transition Kevin Durant made to his new team was seamless.
How would the Warriors make it work? Is one of them going to take a step back? There’s only one ball to go around. These are some of the statements and questions this team faced coming into the season. They answered them by leading the league in assists per game. Proving that this team is filled with unselfish superstars.
They were flat out great but that was the regular season. They now face a difficult road to the finals. Will the Spurs or Rockets be able to stop them? Will the Clippers finally prove that they really are the better team? Will the Cavaliers prove that they can beat them again? Will Curry be as spectacular in the postseason as he is in the regular season? And will Kevin Durant prove to his doubters that he has what it takes to be a champion? Let’s take a dive inside to find out.