At 55-13 on the season, the Golden State Warriors have to be considered the odds-on-favorites to win the Western Conference. With such a ridiculous record, Steve Kerr’s squad likely didn’t need any more help.
And even if it’s taboo to talk about another team’s injury issues when looking at the dynamics heading into the playoffs, it’s something we have to take into account.
The Oklahoma City Thunder announced that reigning league MVP Kevin Durant has been shut down from all basketball activities, likely indicating the end of what has been an injury-plagued season for the star. This came on the heels of Serge Ibaka being shut down for the remainder of the regular season.
Currently just one game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City could potentially find itself out of the postseason altogether when everything is said and done.
Like it or not, that could potentially clear a path for the Warriors all the way to the Western Conference Finals.
As current standings suggest, Golden State will be taking on either New Orleans, Oklahoma City or the Phoenix Suns in the first round. It goes without saying that the Warriors have had success against all three of these teams.
Currently 41 games over .500, the Warriors are also a combined 8-2 against their three likeliest first-round playoff matchups. They did lose to the Suns in Phoenix back in November, but Klay Thompson did not suit up in that game. Golden State has won its last two meetings against the Suns by a combined 37 points.
With one game still remaining against New Orleans, Golden State is 3-0 against Anthony Davis and company. It defeated the Davis-less Pelicans by 27 in Oakland back in November before pulling off an overtime win against them in New Orleans in mid-December.
It’s not a coincidence that the Davis-less Pelicans then fell to the Warriors by 16 on Friday night in Oakland. Though, unlike the team’s first meeting, Golden State wasn’t at full health.
Despite Thompson sitting with an injured ankle and Stephen Curry shooting just 4-of-17 from the field, the Warriors were able to dominate at Oracle on Friday night.
The interesting dynamic here is that both Phoenix and New Orleans might provide more of a challenge for the Warriors in the first round than the Thunder, who would be without Ibaka and Durant for the series. Even then, it’s hard to imagine either team putting up much of a fight against the best in the west. The same could not be said for a Thunder squad if it had both Durant and Ibaka ready to go.
If Golden State were to get out of the first round, its conference semifinal matchup also favors Kerr’s squad, no matter who it plays.
As of right now, the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers would be the four/five matchup in the opening round. The Warriors are a combined 3-1 against those two teams with its sole loss coming to the Clippers back on Christmas Day. The health of Blake Griffin would be key in any potential Clippers-Warriors matchup, but that’s the team that might give Golden State the most difficult time. After all, Doc Rivers’ squad did defeat the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs last year.
A more ideal scenario for Golden State would be a conference semifinal matchup against any of the Texas teams. This team is a combined 7-0 against the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets and have won those seven games by an average of 14 points per game. They also just defeated the San Antonio Spurs by 11 in the first game back from the All-Star break—a game the Warriors were leading by 22 points before both teams pulled their starters.
Simply put: The Warriors’ path to the Western Conference Finals was made easier with the Durant injury news. And while Kerr and company would rather beat the best to be the best, they are already the best. If road blocks to getting the team its first title in over 40 years are cleared up, no one in Oakland is going to be complaining.
That’s the simple truth.
Photo: USA Today