The Golden State Warriors, who have won four NBA titles in the past eight seasons, are starting to click. The defending champs have won eight out of their past 10 games and four of the past five on the road. It’s a finish reminiscent of last season, when they won their last five regular-season games.
In the West, where no team has risen far above the rest like in the East, Golden State has as good a chance as any team to win the conference.
The sixth-seeded Warriors (44-38) open the playoffs against Sacramento (48-34), a franchise that last made the playoffs in 2006. Sorry, Kings fans, the Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers (44-38) and Lakers (43-39) were all eager to face your inexperienced Kings in the first round.
If Golden State advances, it won’t have to play the Denver Nuggets (53-29) or Phoenix Suns (45-37) — the two other West favorites — until the conference finals. Warriors fans couldn’t have asked for a more favorable matchup.
Another huge advantage for Golden State is the short travel in the first round. Sacramento is a 90-minute bus ride away. For a veteran team with a lot of miles on the legs, this is important.
In the first round last season, the Warriors played Denver in the first round followed by Memphis in the second. Each series involved multi-hour flights.
“I’m not upset if we met Sacramento in the first round,” Warriors star Draymond Green said late last month on his podcast. “Not because I think Sacramento is a weak team [but] because travel is so much easier.”
The Warriors’ resume doesn’t look great, especially that 11-30 road record. But this group — especially its core of Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Green — is tested in the playoffs.
In the Western Conference playoffs under head coach Steve Kerr since 2015, Golden State is 18-0 in playoff series and has won at least one road game in every series. Plus, statistically, the Warriors have the best starting five in the NBA.
As long as Golden State has Curry, Thompson and Green, it will have a shot to win the West.
