(2nd year)
The Golden State Warriors have made five straight finals appearances since the 2014 season – but can they do it again?
The Warriors have won three out of their last five finals appearances, clearly establishing themselves as one of the best teams since the 72-10 Chicago Bulls led by the greatest player of all time in Michael Jordan.
This season, people have questioned whether they can repeat their playoff success without the 26 ppg averaging (points per game) small forward and former MVP (most valuable player) of the league, Kevin Durant.
Although the Warriors have their leader in Stephen Curry, a former back-to-back MVP of the league, averaging 27 ppg last year, it simply is not enough.
The Warriors have yet to show their full potential as the injury to Klay Thompson has impacted their offensive production, as he averaged 21 ppg last year.
At the start of the season they picked up all-star, D’angelo Russell, the former shooting guard for the Brooklyn Nets to replace Thompson who was injured in game six of the 2018 NBA Finals.
Analysts from ESPN have said that they would manage just fine come playoff time, as they were the team with the best record in the NBA before the arrival of Durant, with a record of 73-9 (the best in NBA history).
But unfortunately, the Warriors have been plagued with injury as Stephen Curry injured his hand during the fourth game against the Phoenix Suns, and will likely be out for the rest of the season.
It seems as though D’angelo is not the answer to their problems as the Warriors have started off the season with an appalling record of 5-23, last in the Western Conference.
As of recent, the NBA has officially been cancelling broadcasts of their games due to their poor start.
Fans of the Warriors have blamed their terrible start to the loss of key pieces to the franchise.
They lost finals MVP Andre Iguodala, who was primarily known for his defence, and backup point guard Shaun Livingston, who was a key contributor off the bench.
The Warriors have a tough upcoming schedule for the rest of the season.
The Western conference is stacked with offensive powerhouses.
The LeBron James and Anthony Davis led Los Angeles Lakers being one of them.
The Los Angeles Clippers are also a contender, led by last year’s Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
It’s clear to see that title hopes for Dubnation are out of reach, at least for this season.
The new Warriors squad is filled with young talent that need time to develop.
Their draft picks have proven to be quite an asset in the absence of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
The Warriors have found a diamond in the rough in their rookie Eric Paschall, who is currently one of the leading rookies in the NBA, averaging 16 ppg and five rebounds a game.
This season provides a breath of fresh air for NBA fans as teams have improved during the five year reign of the Golden State Warriors, allowing for different teams around the league to chase the top seeds in their conference.
Not all hope is lost for Dubnation though. Power-forward Draymond Green reassured fans that it will not be their last time on the NBA Finals stage.
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