The Golden State Warriors have looked almost perfect to start the season, currently sitting on a 7-1 record– good for second-best in the league behind the undefeated Milwaukee Bucks. The sole blemish for the Warriors was a two-point loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Dubs are currently riding a five-game win streak, which has seen their superstars play at a near-transcendent level.
Why are the Warriors looking so unstoppable?
While the logical answer to the question would be due to their host of All-NBA talent, the core of this team has already had two seasons together. And in those two seasons, the team has arguably never looked hotter – save for maybe the 2016/17 NBA Playoffs.
The real answer to this question is that the Dubs are simply having fun. Unlike in previous seasons, they don’t look bored, or tired, or like they’re treating the regular season as a formality. The team is having fun, enjoying the low-pressure stakes, and each star is taking the opportunity to have their turn in the spotlight. The Warriors are simply dominating, much to the chagrin of their opponents.
The stats
The Dubs are revered for their unselfishness, and combining this with their fresh enjoyment of the game is working wonders. The Warriors’ score sheets are definitely benefiting from the league’s new 14-second offensive rebound rule, as are the rest of the teams in the league, with more shots being put up and scored. The team’s rather inflated score sheets only tell a part of the story. The other part goes to the mind-blowing individual performances. Over the Warriors’ past four games, these are the stats that stand out:
Wednesday 10/24: Def. Washington Wizards 144-122 – Stephen Curry: 51 points (11 3PM)
Three different performances of 40+ PTS for the @warriors in one week! #DubNation
Stephen Curry (10/24): 51 PTS
Kevin Durant (10/26): 41 PTS
Klay Thompson (10/29): 52 PTS pic.twitter.com/JP6NHtL3Pc— NBA (@NBA) October 30, 2018
Friday 10/26: Def. New York Knicks 128-100 – Kevin Durant: 41 points (25 in fourth quarter)
Sunday 10/28: Def. Brooklyn Nets 120-114 – Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant combine for 69 points
Monday 10/29: Def. Chicago Bulls 149-124 – Klay Thompson: 52 points (NBA Record 14 3PM)
There have been over 150,000 games played in NBA history.
Here are the total number of games in which a player scored more than 50 points in fewer than 30 minutes:
Klay Thompson: 2
Every other player in NBA history combined: zero— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) October 30, 2018
The @warriors have scored 541 points over their last four games, the most for any team over a four-game span since… the Golden State Warriors scored 550 points in March 1992. #KiaTipOff18 @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/bvRXBVpSET
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) October 30, 2018
Through those four games, the Dubs outscored their opponents by an average of 20.25 points per game. The team thrives when different players step up and get their own stats. You would have to think it may only be a matter of time before Draymond Green puts up a crazy stat line of his own.
A blockbuster clash with the high-flying New Orleans Pelicans is up next for The Bay’s team, and the Pelicans’ superstar Anthony Davis is partial to a jaw-dropping stat line of his own from time to time. It will be an epic clash between two of the league’s titans, as sheer anticipation surrounds the build-up to the game.
