Golden State have swept through the playoffs so far but too many days off can affect a team’s sharpness at the most important stage of the seasonThe Golden State Warriors entered the 2016 NBA finals under-rested and overwhelmed. Plagued by questions about Stephen Curry’s dodgy knee and Draymond Green’s kicks to the groin, they had just two days off before the finals. Did a lack of rest ultimately play a role in their breakdown? Perhaps this year’s Warriors will answer that question. In a remarkable reversal of fortune, after finishing their jog to the 2017 NBA finals 12-0, this year’s Warriors were given nine days to rest and recuperate before Warriors-Cavaliers III. Related: Ruthless Warriors complete sweep of Spurs to...
Golden State and Cleveland are a combined 16-0 in the postseason, and everyone is bored. Let’s hope the conference finals offer something more compellingThe poor guys didn’t stand a chance. A day after the Cleveland Cavaliers completed their sweep of the Toronto Raptors with a 109-102 victory on the Raptors’ own court, the Golden State Warriors knocked the Utah Jazz out of the playoffs with a 121-95 win on Monday night. Cleveland and Golden State have both been perfect this postseason: the two teams have won two straight series in four, going a combined 16-0 without doing anything to challenge the growing perception that they will meet in the NBA finals for the third straight year.All of this is great...
Golden State and Cleveland didn’t always play their best basketball in the first round, but they’re favorites for a reason, and another finals match-up looks likelyThe game was almost over before it ever really began. Seven minutes into game four in Portland on Monday night, the Warriors built a 30-7 lead over the Trail Blazers – and from there, Portland never stood a chance of winning. The Warriors eventually prevailed 128-103, completing a four-game sweep that ended the Trail Blazers’ season. Related: 'That was unbelievable': Warriors score 45 in first quarter to sweep Blazers Continue reading...
The Golden State Warriors superstar guard’s ability to annoy basketball fans has given him the most undesirable of auras: that of a Duke playerBasketball fans were first introduced to Steph Curry 20 years ago the same way we learned of Riley Curry two years ago: he was the cute child a famous NBA father occasionally brought to work. A decade later we saw him again, knocking down jumpers for tiny Davidson College in the NCAA tournament and delivering hopelessly dorky rap verses about the campus dining hall. College Curry was the same kid we met in the 90s when Dell Curry was still in the league, just taller and with more range. But today that kid has turned into, well,...
Golden State feared the worst when Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury, but his MCL strain may not be the nightmare scenario it first seemedIt’s likely that there has never been a NBA team so relieved to receive the news that one of their best players would be out for at least four weeks. When Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury in Tuesday’s 112-108 loss to the Washington Wizards following collision with Zaza Pachulia, the Golden State Warriors scheduled a MRI for Wednesday and braced for the worst. Luckily for them, the worst didn’t arrive. Related: Warriors to sign Barnes after Kevin Durant ruled out 'indefinitely' Continue reading...