The Golden State Warriors have been the best team in the NBA all season. At 58-13 overall, they remain the top team in the league and have consistently maintained a winning percentage over .800. Even after clinching a playoff berth, the Warriors haven't slowed down a bit. They have won twelve of their last thirteen games, including seven straight. After topping the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday night, the Warriors won the Pacific Division for the first time in over 30 years.
Stephen Curry is a leading candidate for the NBA's Most Valuable Player and has been a thrill to watch. The Baby-Faced Assassin has the silkiest touch in the league and continuously makes the game look easy in all facets. Behind-the-back, no-look dishes to open teammates, reverse scoop layups, and seemingly hopeless three point attempts after which he trots down the court before the ball even hits the net are just a few of the tricks that compose his arsenal. Curry is averaging a team-high 23.3 points and 7.9 assists, which also rank him in the top ten in the league. He is also top five in the NBA in steals (2.1). Curry has rightfully earned his nickname with his deadly shooting, but is also an incredible facilitator and an equally good defender with a unique ability to read plays.
But it has been a team effort on both sides of the ball for the Warriors. With arguably the most complete lineup in all of basketball, Steve Kerr has drastically improved the one aspect in which Mark Jackson could not—defense. That coupled with the most powerful offensive attack in the league has resulted in a 10.7 average scoring margin, comfortably distanced from the rest of the field. A league-high 109.7 points per game in addition to a league-high 27.2 assists per game clearly highlight this team's strengths. While the ball movement is largely a product of Stephen Curry's offensive prowess, it can be compared to the San Antonio Spurs of last season-a team that has incredible faith in each player's ability to score.
Curry and Klay Thompson lead the scoring for the Warriors, followed by Draymond Green, Marreese Speights, and Harrison Barnes, all of whom average double-digit scoring. The health of Andrew Bogut has been an overlooked X-factor to the Warriors' success this season. He has started 53 games this season and is a prime example of a player who puts the team first. Bogut only averages 6.2 points per game, but secures 8.0 rebounds per game and is not afraid to move the ball out of the post area in search of an open shot.
Andre Iguodala has molded into a role as a veteran bench player and has continued to provide quality minutes. His explosiveness is still alive and well and, while he only averages 7.8 points per game, Iguodala's ability to hit a game-changing three pointer creates a mismatch whenever he takes the court. Shaun Livingston is another crucial bench player whose playmaking ability has come alive late in the season. Livingston came over from the Brooklyn Nets prior to the season and has shot 51.2 percent from the field in 68 games for the Warriors.
Having lost only two games at the Oracle Arena all season, the Warriors are set for a deep run in the 2015 NBA Playoffs. In a tough Western Conference, they are the clear favorites to make it to the NBA Finals. Guided by potential Coach of the Year and Most Valuable Player recipients, the Warriors have been the best team in basketball all season and will go into the postseason with a massive chip on their shoulders as well as a target on their backs.