Golden State Warriors: Why Steph Curry will lead the Warriors to the 2022 NBA Finals

Why there’s a very real chance that Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors can win the 2022 NBA Championship. 

The Golden State Warriors made five straight NBA Finals from 2015-2019, winning three championships in that span. Players still on the team from those seasons like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are no doubt hall of famers when they retire someday.

I don’t think the Warriors are just quite done yet. They have a legit shot to win the NBA Finals this season and there are a few reasons why.

Curry and the Warriors are second in the Western Conference standings with a record of 42-15. That is the second-best record in the league behind the defending Western Conference champions, Phoenix Suns, who have a record of 46-10 and are 4.5 games ahead of Golden State.

Besides the Suns and Warriors, I do not think there are many teams in the West that can compete in the playoffs with either of them. The only other real contenders are the Jazz, Nuggets, and Grizzlies.

In recent years, the Western Conference has been more powerful than the East and has seen more depth in competitive teams. That is not the case this year and this is a huge advantage to the Warriors. There are only about 4-5 solid contenders in the West this year, while the East has at least seven teams who have a legit chance to make it to the NBA Finals. Depending on where the Warriors get seeded, they could have an easier run than some to start the playoffs.

All the Warriors need to do is stay healthy and rested after the All-Star break because the playoffs creep up quickly. Having the team fully healthy is something the Warriors have not had much of this season.

Klay Thompson is slowly but surely getting himself back into his dominant form. He dropped 33 points and five rebounds in a 117-115 win over the Lakers over the weekend. Don’t forget that Thompson is still a three-time NBA Champ, five-time All-Star, and has made All-NBA twice.

Klay has only played 14 games this season and he is not the only Warriors player who has not seen a lot of playing time due to injuries. Another player on that list is the second-year man out of Memphis, James Wiseman. The seven-footer has not played in a game since tearing his meniscus last April.

He’s only played 39 games in his entire career and still has a lot to learn. Kevin Looney is holding down the center position right now. Once playoff time comes around I know the Warriors will want Wiseman back on the court ahead of him.

Wiseman participated in contact drills for the first time in over 10 months last week. He took part in a three-on-three scrimmage after a practice in Salt Lake City.

The final piece the Warriors are missing is someone who means more than just stats to the team. He is the glue that holds the team together on the court. His in-game IQ is some of the best we have ever seen. That man is Draymond Green. Draymond had played in 34 games this season and has missed 23 games.

The effort level and in-game awareness of Green is something that brings the Warriors from good to great. Getting James Wiseman back will help sure up the team’s defensive and rebounding intensity along with the great effort he gives. Klay Thompson will continue to get back to his elite level of play and will only get healthier and more comfortable as the season continues.

Injured players who will eventually make their return, a weaker Western Conference, and the championship DNA the team already has are the reasons why I think Golden State has a legit chance to win the NBA Finals this year.

The Warriors Big 3 all know what it takes to win a championship. Add first-time All-Star Andrew Wiggins and a healthy James Wiseman back into the lineup, and this is not a team that you want to see come playoff time.