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With their win over the Memphis Grizzlies last night, the Golden State Warriors reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 39 years. NBA MVP Stephen Curry was absolutely phenomenal again, scoring 32 points and connecting on eight three-pointers, including a 62-foot heave as the third-quarter buzzer sounded that hit nothing but net. This proved to be the ultimate dagger for the Grizzlies, and the Warriors easily coasted to victory in the fourth quarter.
I may be getting ahead of myself, but I believe the Warriors will win the NBA title this year. Their combination of shooting and defense is simply legendary, and rookie head coach Steve Kerr has done a fabulous job designing a successful offense around the pieces he has. It is no secret that Kerr is a loyal disciple of San Antonio Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich, and that is why the Warriors’ ball movement is so good. They are always concentrated on finding not just an open shot, but the best open shot available. This selfless mindset is exactly why they have become an absolute behemoth in a loaded Western Conference.
If the Warriors do in fact win the championship this year, which would surprise no one, I think they are in a position to dominate the West for the next decade if they play their cards right. The Oklahoma City Thunder should have been the team to do this after their 2012 NBA Finals appearance, but due to a combination of bad luck, lackluster coaching, cheap ownership and questionable trades, their future outlook is very uncertain.
Given how young the Warriors are and their owners’ deep pockets, it is not a stretch to say they could be the next great team we talk about for years to come. Of course, a lot of this depends on how they structure their roster over the next few seasons. As it stands right now, if they are able to hang on to Draymond Green when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer, they should be in terrific shape, especially since the NBA salary cap is projected to skyrocket after next season. It is clear that they have a winning coach in Kerr and a dominant star in Curry, who is surrounded by an array of talent that perfectly complements the high-octane offensive system the Warriors run so well.
One thing that should be taken into consideration when it comes to this topic is health. Many forget now that at one point in time Curry looked like he might become the next Brandon Roy, as he could not stay on the court due to repeated ankle sprains that threatened to derail his career. Over the last couple of years, he has been healthy and that is why the team has become the beast it is.
Egos are another crucial thing to factor in too, especially on a team that wins a lot. To me, it does not appear that the Warriors have any problems here. Green talks a lot on the court and this might be misconstrued as hurting his team in the process, but these guys just look like they are having fun out there. And how can you not when you win as much as they do?
This is a young, fun team to watch and they are playing their best basketball of the season at the perfect time. When they win the title this year, we will not just be asking if they are one of the best teams of all time, we will also be wondering if they could possibly become 2010’s version of 1990’s Chicago Bulls.
It might be a stretch to make that comparison now considering they have not won anything yet, but don’t be surprised if this becomes a topic many media outlets discuss in the future.
Dan Schultz is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @dschultz89. “Like” him on Facebook and add him on Google.
