Season Predictions
Regular Season: The Warriors have absolutely crushed their competition in their conference, much like the Hawks. However, they’ve done so while playing in the Western Conference, the tougher of the two conferences by far, though not to quite the same extent that Atlanta has done so. Led by “The Splash Brothers” in superstar PG/SG Stephen Curry and SG/SF Klay Thompson, as well as the extremely versatile SF/PF Draymond Green and a flurry of others who have stepped up, the Warriors have looked absolutely unstoppable this season. It’s possible they actually get within a few games of the all-time regular season record of 70-12, set by the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls led by none other than SG Michael Jordan himself, but also like the Hawks, the Warriors would be wise to rest their starters down the stretch in order to keep them fresh for the playoffs. That doesn’t mean the best of the West isn’t going to capture the league’s best record, however.
Projected Record: 62-20
Playoffs Round One
Golden State Warriors (#1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (#8)
This is where my problems start with the Warriors: the playoffs. There is no denying they’ve been a dominant team throughout the regular season, but I don’t see the playoff experience on this roster. Curry and Thompson are obviously very talented players and are unstoppable from beyond the arc, but do they know how to get it done in the postseason, with a total of one playoff win between the two? Young breakout forwards SF/PF Harrison Barnes and Green also both share that one playoff win that The Splash Brothers also do. Even less-often used veterans PF/C David Lee, C Andrew Bogut, SF/SG Andre Iguodala, and more haven’t even been there and done that, as each has a couple of playoff wins but no titles or really anything particularly close to one. The Thunder, on the other hand, are the complete package for a team that you would think to win the title. Don’t let their #8 seed fool you, as this was mainly due to injuries to reigning MVP superstar SF/PF Kevin Durant and an MVP-frontrunner in superstar PG/SG Russell Westbrook. They should be at full health by the time the playoffs come around, and also boasting elite defender star PF/C Serge Ibaka and a revamped bench from trade acquisitions this season. The Warrior’s depth will be cancelled out by the Thunder’s abundance of it as well, and then it comes down to team chemistry, playoff experience, and stars. The first one is a relative tie, but Oklahoma City probably wins the other two as they boast arguably two of the five best players in the league. This Warriors team is built for regular season success, but I’m not so sure about the playoffs, especially when they have to play a title contender like the Thunder in the first round.
Series Prediction: Oklahoma City wins 4-3
Regular Season: The Warriors have absolutely crushed their competition in their conference, much like the Hawks. However, they’ve done so while playing in the Western Conference, the tougher of the two conferences by far, though not to quite the same extent that Atlanta has done so. Led by “The Splash Brothers” in superstar PG/SG Stephen Curry and SG/SF Klay Thompson, as well as the extremely versatile SF/PF Draymond Green and a flurry of others who have stepped up, the Warriors have looked absolutely unstoppable this season. It’s possible they actually get within a few games of the all-time regular season record of 70-12, set by the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls led by none other than SG Michael Jordan himself, but also like the Hawks, the Warriors would be wise to rest their starters down the stretch in order to keep them fresh for the playoffs. That doesn’t mean the best of the West isn’t going to capture the league’s best record, however.
Projected Record: 62-20
Playoffs Round One
Golden State Warriors (#1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (#8)
This is where my problems start with the Warriors: the playoffs. There is no denying they’ve been a dominant team throughout the regular season, but I don’t see the playoff experience on this roster. Curry and Thompson are obviously very talented players and are unstoppable from beyond the arc, but do they know how to get it done in the postseason, with a total of one playoff win between the two? Young breakout forwards SF/PF Harrison Barnes and Green also both share that one playoff win that The Splash Brothers also do. Even less-often used veterans PF/C David Lee, C Andrew Bogut, SF/SG Andre Iguodala, and more haven’t even been there and done that, as each has a couple of playoff wins but no titles or really anything particularly close to one. The Thunder, on the other hand, are the complete package for a team that you would think to win the title. Don’t let their #8 seed fool you, as this was mainly due to injuries to reigning MVP superstar SF/PF Kevin Durant and an MVP-frontrunner in superstar PG/SG Russell Westbrook. They should be at full health by the time the playoffs come around, and also boasting elite defender star PF/C Serge Ibaka and a revamped bench from trade acquisitions this season. The Warrior’s depth will be cancelled out by the Thunder’s abundance of it as well, and then it comes down to team chemistry, playoff experience, and stars. The first one is a relative tie, but Oklahoma City probably wins the other two as they boast arguably two of the five best players in the league. This Warriors team is built for regular season success, but I’m not so sure about the playoffs, especially when they have to play a title contender like the Thunder in the first round.
Series Prediction: Oklahoma City wins 4-3