Why Aren’t the Golden State Warriors Considered to Be Genuine NBA Championship Contenders In 2024-25?
The early season headlines in the NBA have understandably been dominated by the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose 15-0 start is threatening records.
And then you have the Boston Celtics, the pre-season favorites who have run up an impressive 11-3 record of their own.
Over in the Western Conference, the form of the Oklahoma City Thunder has not gone unnoticed either, but their counterparts – the Golden State Warriors – have gone under the radar… despite compiling an excellent 10-2 start of their own.
So why aren’t the Warriors, four-time winners since 2015, being considered more readily as a potential NBA champion in 2024-25?
Besting the Best
The basketball online betting odds make the Warriors a +2200 chance to win the NBA Finals this term.
The basketball tips are more in favor of the likes of the Celtics (+300), who were so impressive on their way to the title last season, and the Thunder (+500), who look to be in fine fettle.
But here’s the thing: the Warriors have beaten both of those teams already in 2024-25.
Steve Kerr’s men headed to TD Garden earlier in November, when a Stephen Curry masterclass guided Golden State to a 118-112 victory over the favorites for the NBA Championship.
Just two games later, the Warriors went to Oklahoma and turned over the Thunder 127-116, with Curry once again in eye-catching form with 36 points.
Solid Trip. Now- Back to the crib! pic.twitter.com/t1IQZrpMPH
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) November 11, 2024
Since then, quality operators like Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies have also been defeated, so Golden State is building a profile as a team that can beat anyone on their day… not a bad trait to have during the regular season, but a particularly great weapon to carry into the playoffs.
Continuity is King
Throughout all of the Warriors’ successes in modern basketball, Kerr and Curry have been constants throughout.
With their experience and class, Golden State always has a chance – particularly with Curry, the 36-year-old veteran, continuing to hit new heights as a player.
But he’s well supported by an impressive array of teammates, whose growing maturity means that Curry can be rested and reinvigorated at key points during the season.
The point scoring is generally shared around – that’s no bad thing, when compared to relying on one or two individuals to come up with the goods, while Draymond Green remains a creative force well into the autumn of his career at the age of 34.
Kevon Looney is EVERYWHERE 💪💪💪
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 30, 2023
With Kevon Looney showcasing his eye for a rebound, and Buddy Hield continuing to notch plenty of points, the Warriors are building towards another strong campaign, with plenty of experience and know-how to call upon.
Golden State ranks third for points scored per game, is averaging just 110.8 points conceded, and sits second in the NBA for rebounds collected.
With a points differential of +10.5 at the time of writing, they are doing so much right at the moment. If they can maintain these levels until the business end of the season, pundits and analysts will surely then consider them to be genuine NBA Championship material.
Passionate Writer, Blogger and Amazon Affiliate Expert since 2014.
