The most exciting time of year is here for basketball aficionados, as the NBA is in its final month of regular season games, with teams fighting till tooth and nail for a spot in the upcoming playoffs which are set to kick off on 16 April. The Golden State Warriors have been performing exceptionally this year, yet over the past couple of weeks, they’ve had an unfortunate span of losses that have dropped them down to the third spot in the Western Conference. However, despite these recent happenings, the franchise is still one of the strongest in the league. Not to mention they are no stranger to championship titles (they have a whopping 6 to their name). With plenty of time left until the highly anticipated Finals series, let’s take a look at a few reasons why the Warriors could definitely still win it all in 2022.
Stephen Curry
Although the Warriors work together and demonstrate that there is no ‘I’ in team, it only makes sense to point out that Stephen Curry is the organization’s most elite shooter, and one of the top playmakers in the league. This season, the superstar made history when he scored the 3,000th 3-pointer of his career in a matchup against the Denver Nuggets, as the entire crowd at Madison Square Garden went wild with emotion and cheer. While Curry was in a bit of a shooting slump earlier this year, he seems to have pulled out of, helping lead the team to win their last four games in a row. Additionally, in the recent All-Star game, Number 30 scored an incredible 50 points! According to expert NBA championship odds, the Warriors are still top contenders for a title, and Curry’s abilities will undoubtedly be one of the main things that helps keeps them there.
Defensive Expertise
It’s no secret that a basketball team must have strong shooting skills to thrive, but without an equally equipped defensive side, there will be major holes in plays. Fortunately for the Warriors, their defense ranks high in the league overall, with as many as nine steals per game and fourth in points allowed. Fans were discouraged when their star defender Draymond Green was taken off the roster temporarily back in late February due to an injury, but now that he is back in action, things can only go up from here. In fact, just recently in a game against the Washington Wizards, Green’s debut inspired Curry to score an impressive 47 points (on his 37th birthday!). This was also the first time in over 1,000 days that all members of the Warriors ‘Big 3’ played together. If they can all stay healthy, there’s no reason why they won’t be able to dominate in the playoffs and beyond.
Steve Kerr
If a team in the NBA wants to be successful, they need more than just talented players- they need a superb head coach. Steve Kerr is all that and more for the Warriors, an ex-NBA player himself who has led the organization since 2014. During this time, Kerr has coached the franchise to win three Finals title, two of which were back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. He has also received the NBA Coach of the Year award (2016) and has proudly made it on the list of top 15 coaches in basketball history. Kerr leads with a poise all his own, while inspiring Warrior’s teammates towards action. The outcome is always growth and positivity, and fans shouldn’t expect anything less this time around.
Head coach Steve Kerr has led the Warriors franchise since 2014
Confidence
Last but not least, the Golden State Warriors can win it all in 2022 because they are confident that they can do so. In a recent press interview, Draymond Green stated that his team is firmly believes they have what it takes to secure a Larry O’ Brian trophy come June, despite them falling to the 3rd seed in the West. This level of determination will make all the difference when games begin to come down to the wire.
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