Look at the Golden State Warriors, making the Elite Eight.
Thirty NBA teams started this ride back around Halloween 2024. Ocho remain.
Can the Dubs get past Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, and make the Final Four?
What, you gonna bet against Steph Curry and Playoff Jimmy Butler?
The Warriors were 25-26 before Butler suited up on Feb. 8 in Chicago, wearing Dubs blue and gold — or whatever color they wear on any given night. They were a 10th place team thinking about the play-in bracket.
Tonight in Prince’s hometown, they can wear purple for all I care — they are the team nobody wants to play.
Draymond Green says so in that NBA playoff ad that uses Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion”, and Draymond Green is one of the reasons why nobody wants to play the Dubs. He’s playing some of the best defense of his career of late. His work on Alperen Sengun, the talented 22-year-old Houston Rocket, is a huge reason why the Warriors are playing Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals in Minneapolis tonight.
I am not taking the T-Wolves lightly. Edwards might be everyone’s favorite player not on your own team. His combination of explosive scoring and charismatic swag is just what the league needs for the next 10 years. Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels are the kind of long athletes the Warriors lack, unless you’re factoring in the persona non grata that rhymes with Schmonathan Schmuniga. I’d mention Rudy Gobert, who was last seen going for 27 points and 24 rebounds in the clincher against the Lakers. Mike Wilson of ESPN called him Rudy Go-Wilt, for his Chamberlain-like numbers. But I don’t fear Gobert like that. Saginaw’s finest Warrior may be able to hold him in check. Hopefully not literally.
Actually, I like to think that the guy associated with so many clutch post-season Warrior defensive stops and rebounds — the perennially underrated Kevon Looney — may be the guy to help corral the Stifle Tower.
To me, this spring run is mostly about Batman and Robin. Steph and Playoff Jimmy. And, if he feels like scoring 33 points, Alfred the Butler, aka Buddy (Yes, I Scored 33 in Game 7 On The Road, This Is Not a Typo) Hield.
The Houston Rockets played a style of defense that made life extraordinarily uncomfortable for Curry. Whether it was the youthful harassment propagated by Amen Thompson, or the multiple bodies blitzing, or the “janky” zone defense employed by Ime Udoka, it was never smooth for good ol’ No. 30. And yet, he wound up leading the Warriors in points, rebounds and assists in the series — the oldest player in NBA history to do so in a playoff series. We are all witnesses, kids, as I was just saying to my pal LeBron James as he sat next to me on the couch asking for the remote.
The Timberwolves, with all due respect, can’t possibly make life that hard on Steph. The Rockets may have literally been the worst possible defensive matchup for Curry. It may feel like he has breathing room, relatively speaking, in this series. Like he checked into a hotel room and unexpectedly found a walk-in closet.
And then there’s Playoff Jimmy. He came back from his severely bruised derriere to lead the Game 4 win, then made huge plays in the second half of the Game 7 win on the road. I would guess his sharpness and team play would only increase with each passing playoff stage.
Who can stop Edwards? Andrew Wiggins used to be that guy, ironically enough. A combination of Gary Payton and Butler and Moses Moody and — dare we say it? — Kuminga may try to slow him down, but Edwards will get his. He’s that special. If Looney takes Gobert, perhaps Draymond can try to stifle Julius Randle. Donte DiVincenzo will hurt his old team, certainly, at some point. You can’t stop ‘em all.
That’s why I see it going seven games. Again. I actually see each team holding serve on home court, and then the Warriors doing what they do so well — soaring on the wings of Steph Curry when they need him most, when the cauldron is most scalding. Ask the Olympic basketball fans in Paris about it.
Dubs in seven. It’s the damndest thing.