The Warriors have broken the NBA
Remember all the hype about the NBA being changed forever when LeBron decided to sign with the Lakers?
This off-season saw some of the craziest trades and signings we've ever seen, making fans scratch their heads at future possibilities, getting us excited, and terrified. Something inevitable that came out of it, though, is the Warriors' dominance.
Sitting atop the Western Conference with a record of 7-1, the Warriors have been performing excellently this season, with an average point differential of +13.5. They've been playing excellently, pushing the ball forward every opportunity they get, making every opponent they face crumble with their fast-paced offense. One of the most key aspects of their victories would have to be the individual performance of players.
Curry, for one, has been playing beautifully. Steph is averaging 33 PPG, the most in the league right now. Averaging a solid five boards, and six assists a game, he probably has the best stats in the league, definitely so among guards.
Curry scored 51 points against the Washington Wizards, knocking down 11 threes on 16 attempts. That's not even the best part - he did all of that in just 32 minutes on the court. Curry now has six games with 11+ three-pointers. The rest of the NBA combined has seven. Let that sink in. Oh, also, side note: Curry made more 3-pointers in his first five games this season than Jordan did in his first four seasons.
Next, Durant, averaging 28, 8, and 6, is also playing well above the competition. Yeah, you read that right. Two players averaging near 30 points a game, on the same team. The Durant trade back in 2016 blew the NBA up, and for good reason - another superstar joining the Warriors.
We're now seeing it completely in effect, his chemistry with the Warriors has been off the charts this season. He's fit in with the team's run-and-gun offense beautifully, especially because of his shooting abilities as a big man.
As for Thompson, the man just blew us all away. NBA record 14 three-pointers made in a single game. Absolutely mental. 52 points, 14 made threes, all in 27 minutes of action. This is now Thompson's second game with 50+ points in under 28 minutes.
The rest of the NBA combined has 0 such games. That game, Thompson tied the record for most threes in a half (10) and broke the record for most threes in a game (previously set by Curry at 13). He walked off after his 14th made with 3:44 left in the third.
It was fairly obvious from the very beginning that the Warriors targeted getting Thompson out of a shooting slump that game. He'd gone 5-36 from range to begin the season, averaging 15 points a game.
From the very beginning of the game, the Warriors set some brilliant screens for him, getting him wide open looks. Once he started knocking his shots down, they kept feeding him the ball, and he kept working it, scoring an outstanding 23 points in the first quarter, contributing enormously to the Warriors' 92 points at the half. Oh, also, Klay made 3 more three-pointers than the entire Bulls roster that game.
Stacked team? Hell yes. Championship caliber? Hell yes. I'm going to leave you with one last exciting, scary thought. DeMarcus Cousins, a man that averaged 25 and 13 last year, hasn't even stepped foot on the court yet.
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