Ladies and gentlemen, the Golden State Warriors are going to the playoffs!
They made history on Feb. 25, which is considered to be extremely early for a team to get into the playoffs. In fact, they became the fastest team to clinch a playoff spot!
They were facing the Brooklyn Nets when they made history. The Nets were struggling after losing 15 games straight. Since Kevin Durant had to leave the game early due to an injury of his left hand, Steph Curry had to carry the team on his shoulders.The Warriors won the game against the Nets with a score of 112-95.
Their current record is 50-10. And whether at home or the road, they’re on fire! At home, they are at 26-3, and on the road they are 24-7. On top of that, Curry has been on fire since he set three three-point records during the season: most three-pointers in one game (13); most consecutive games with a made three-pointer (196); and most consecutive games with a made three-pointer (157).
Moving on to last Monday. Durant re-enters the game. He has scored a total of 27 points, and Klay Thompson has 21. They beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-108. In eight straight games, the Warriors won seven!
As far as the line-up of the team itself goes, Durant, Curry, and Thompson are all contributing to the team with 22 points each game. The stats for teammate Draymond Green, with 10.0 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.5 BPG, 2.1 SPG, put him as the team’s most well-rounded player. Overall, these players are the powerhouses of the Warriors. And on Jan. 26, these four were all sent to the All-Star game. This was the first time the Golden State sent four players.
Durant leads the team in three different areas. He leads the team with 25.3 points per game, with 8.2 rebounds per game, and 1.6 blocks per game. I’m personally happy that Durant is doing better, and is able to contribute to the team. However, he just suffered an MCL sprain, and will not be able play for the next four weeks.
The Warriors made history last year by winning 73 games, but clinched the playoffs two days later than this year, when they landed the spot last year on Feb. 27, 2016.
It is true that the Warriors have a secure spot for the moment, but they still need to focus on the ultimate prize, which is the NBA title. Last year, even though they made the playoffs, the end result was a loss for the team when they blew a 3-1 lead during the finals.
The playoffs will begin on April 15. The Warriors have won four NBA championships in the past, in 1947, 1956, 1975, and 2015. Overall the Warriors have made an appearance in eight NBA finals, which include the previous dates, as well as 1948, 1964, 1967, and 2016.
Things look good for the Warriors. They are shooting 38.9 percent beyond the arc, and 79.1 percent from the free throw line. The Golden State Warriors are also grabbing 44.8 rebounds per game.
When the playoffs begin, the Warriors will likely be the number one team in the Western Conference. On the other side of things, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a record of 41-17, and are number one in the Eastern Conference.
Many fans are anticipating a third meeting between the Warriors and the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, as both teams look very dominant in their respective conferences.