Before the start of this year's playoffs, given Wiseman's inability to return in time and the Warriors' lack of a strong interior line, the outside world did not have much confidence in the Warriors to advance to the second round. After all, their opponents - but the Nuggets with MVP-level interior lines like Jokic, and even the regular season Warriors have lost to the Nuggets many times.
And Curry was still injured at the end of the regular season and returned in an unknown state. So in most people's minds, even if they think that the Warriors have a better chance of qualifying, they have to admit that it is difficult for the Warriors to end this series early in four or five games...
Warriors vs Nuggets Series: Curry leads the team to win three games in a row, sweeping the Nuggets
Warriors vs Nuggets G1, due to Curry's just injury and the overall state is not stable, was arranged by Kerr into the bench. I thought that this game the Warriors would usher in a "fiasco" and thus force out the "full power" Curry in G2.
Unexpectedly, even if Curry did not fully exert his strength, with Poole's offensive performance of 9 of 13 shots, 30 points, 1 board and 3 assists, Thompson 19 points, 3 boards and 2 assists, plus the joint defense of Green + Wiggins. It was already able to give the Warriors an edge against the Nuggets and eventually beat the Nuggets 123-107 to win the first game of the series.
Probably for this reason, so the Warriors vs Nuggets Series G2, Curry still hasn't returned to the starting lineup. In this game, Poole's personal offensive performance was still outstanding, shooting 10 of 16 in a single game, bombarding 29 points, 5 boards and 8 assists; Thompson also had a stable output of 9 of 19 shots, 21 points, 2 boards and 1 assist; and Curry, who came off the bench, shot 12 of 17 and shot 34 points, 3 boards and 4 assists, helping the team win G2.
And in series G3, this game, although Jokic was very powerful - 14 of 22 shots, bombed 37 points, 18 boards and 5 assists of the unsolvable stats, but failed to bring a victory to the Nuggets back at home. After all, in addition to Jokic's brilliant performance, the Nuggets, Barton, Morris, Gordon and others, personal performances are mediocre.
For the Warriors, Poole shot 9 of 13 and got 27 points, 3 boards and 3 assists; Thompson shot 10 of 18 and got 26 points and 1 board and 1 assist; and Curry, who came off the bench, shot 9 of 17 and got 27 points, 3 boards and 6 assists. Coupled with the steady contributions of Green and Wiggins on the defensive end, the Warriors eventually won the Nuggets 118-113 to take a 3-0 lead...
It is also when the Warriors have a 3-0 lead and are about to sweep the Nuggets that many people have changed their minds about the Warriors - they think that the Warriors, who are about to sweep the Nuggets, have the strength to return to the Finals, and even have the strength to win the championship again...
19-21 season: Missing the playoffs for two consecutive years, the Warriors are no longer optimistic about winning the championship?
After the 2019 Finals, Durant chose to leave the Warriors, Thompson was reimbursed for the season due to a torn cruciate ligament in his left knee, and even Curry missed most of the games at the beginning of the season due to a fractured left hand. In the final 19-20 season, the Warriors in Green + Russell (Wiggins), only to achieve a 15-50 league record.
Curry returned in the 20-21 season, but due to the "individual injury + training rookie" style of play, the Warriors could win the eighth place in the West. And due to consecutive losses to the Lakers and Grizzlies in the playoffs, the Warriors were ultimately unable to advance to the playoffs and missed the playoffs for two consecutive years.
So even if this year's Warriors can make steady progress to the playoffs with the third place in the West, Golden State fans still dare not hold on to their expectations for the championship, after all, the Warriors have not been able to play in the playoffs in the first two years. However, in the first round of the 22-year playoffs, the Warriors easily "grasped" the Nuggets and took a 3-0 lead, and the outside world was once again full of expectations for them...
So, having missed the playoffs for two consecutive years, can the Warriors really return to the Finals this year?
In fact, judging from the performance of this year's Warriors playoffs, they do have a lot of opportunities to return to the Finals, and even win the championship trophy.
1. Despite lack of physical talent, the Warriors can play the league's top defensive efficiency. If the Warriors lineup is compared with strong teams such as Green Kai and Bucks, their physical talent obviously does not reach a level.
But now the Warriors bench has Peyton Jr., Otto Porter, Iguodala and others, which can ensure the team's defensive strength; and Green, Wiggins, Thompson constitute the defensive force of the starting lineup, and they even made Jokic play extremely uncomfortable at one time...
Therefore, although the overall physical talent of the Warriors is not the top of the league at present, their defensive enthusiasm and awareness, under the blessing of Kerr's small-ball system, can also play the league's top defensive efficiency.
2. The "Splash Tea" combination is full of offensive firepower. Before the playoffs officially began, the outside world did not question whether the Warriors' defensive efficiency would decline with the intensity of the game. Instead, it questions whether Thompson and Poole can maintain a steady offensive firepower in playoff-level games.
After all, after Thompson returned from injury, despite several eye-catching offensive performances, his overall offensive status was not stable; and Poole was playing in the playoffs for the first time, and once the defensive intensity increased, it was also unknown whether he could maintain the offensive firepower of the regular season.
Once the two cores of Thompson and Poole cannot maintain a stable fire output, then even if Curry returns from injury, it will be difficult to rely on his own strength to lead the Warriors further in the playoffs. Fortunately, after entering the playoffs, Thompson's offensive firepower did not decline, but more stable;
In the face of playoff-level defense, Poole did not have "stage fright", and was still able to continue to output efficiently and steadily. Thompson's stability + Poole's efficiency, coupled with the superstar performance of bench Curry, allowed the Warriors to gain an advantage on the offensive end and turn the advantage into a victory when facing the Nuggets.
3) There is no super team in the league today, giving the Warriors the opportunity to reach the Finals. Since the nets' big three broke up and the Lakers big three couldn't make the playoffs, the league has no so-called super team, especially in the West.
The Warriors' next two sets of potential opponents - the Suns have Paul + Booker + Ayton, and the Grizzlies have Morant + a number of good hands; although the ranking of the Grizzlies and Suns in the regular season is above the Warriors, but from the overall lineup and strength, the Suns and Grizzlies did not crush the Warriors' strength.
As long as the "Splash Tea" combination can maintain the current offensive firepower, Green + Wiggins can do a good job of defensive output, then now this Warriors are fully capable of defeating the Suns and Grizzlies and forcing them into the Finals. After all, no matter from the star color, or the overall rotation, tactical system, the Warriors will not fall behind...