The domination of the Warriors

Hailey Loftin
Features Editor
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     The end of the last NBA season ended as everyone expected it to: the Warriors won the championship, led by the dynamic duo of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.  The pair, nicknamed the “Splash Brothers,” is known for their ability to sink three-pointers from just about anywhere on the court.  The Warriors were ranked number one preseason, and they have not disappointed.

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     The Warriors have lost just four games this season, one of which came when star point guard Curry was injured with a left shin contusion. Sitting out is not uncommon for Curry; while he’s only missed two games completely, he has sat out for thirteen fourth quarters this season. He leads the league in scoring anyway, averaging 30.3 points per game (PPG).
      Curry is not the team’s only weapon. Thompson’s numbers, while not as impressive as Curry’s, are also high. He averages 20.3 PPG and shoots 42% from behind the arc. Power forward Draymond Green sits out most fourth quarters like Curry, and shooting guard Andre Iguodala is a defensive monster. The Warriors have maintained their number one ranking for the whole season so far, but many people have questioned whether or not they really should be the number one team. The San Antonio Spurs are 38-7, making them only three games back from Golden State. Until their game against the Warriors, the Spurs were on a thirteen-game winning streak. Six of those wins were by at least twenty-five points.
      The battle for first place between the top teams came to fruition on Jan. 25. The Warriors came out swinging while the Spurs faltered. Curry dropped thirty-seven points in three quarters and was six of nine from three point range. The Spurs turned the ball over twenty-six times, their highest number of turnovers for the entire season. The final score was 120-90. The Warriors have won three of their last four by at least thirty points. These wins have all come against top ten teams (Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and Cleveland Cavaliers).
      There are still twenty-three weeks left in the NBA season, but it is difficult to envision the Warriors losing many more games. Their domination of the league so far seems to have no rival. The Spurs are an outstanding team this season with Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker leading the way, but even they could not find an answer to Steph Curry and the Warriors.
      Experts have started to compare this year’s Warriors to the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls, who only lost ten games the entire season. Golden State has started with the same record as the Bulls that year, and their win on Jan. 27 set their record. The Bulls started out 41-4 but lost to the Phoenix Suns, dropping to 41-5. The Warriors’ win over the New York Knicks gives them a 44-4 record, meaning that they have won over 90% of their games this season. The ’95-’96 Bulls team finished with a 72-10 record. The Warriors have the potential to beat that record, or at least meet it. Their next matchup is Feb. 3 against the Washington Wizards.