Once Kevin Durant made his surprise decision to bolt the Thunder for the reigning Western Conference champions, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Warriors would once again return to the NBA Finals. There was little evidence to dispel that notion once Durant’s varied skills were assimilated into Golden State’s high-throttle attack.
That all changed in the nation’s capital this week when teammate Zaza Pachulia fell backward onto Durant’s left knee. The perennial All-Star small forward suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and a tibial bone bruise.
Durant will be out at least a month and quite possibly several more weeks. He won’t even be re-evaluated for four weeks and the Warriors are certain to exercise caution. There’s a good chance Durant will miss the remainder of the regular season and it could also affect his status for the postseason. Even if he comes back in time for the playoffs, he could be limited and will have to regain his rhythm on the fly.
Durant’s injury suddenly makes Golden State much more vulnerable. The Warriors still have their former Big Three, which led them to a 2015 championship and nearly another one last season. But they no longer have their other two starters from those seasons, Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, and their bench isn’t very deep.
The Spurs and Rockets, in particular, now look like serious threats to dethrone the Warriors. Kawhi Leonard is averaging career highs in points and assists for San Antonio, LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol form a solid 1-2 punch in the middle and the roster is loaded with playoff-tested veterans.
Mike D’Antoni‘s decision to turn James Harden into Houston’s primary ballhandler has been a smashing success. The league’s second-highest scoring team added even more firepower at the trade deadline by acquiring Lou Williams from the Lakers.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility for the Clippers to catch fire if their Big Three is healthy coming into the postseason. The Grizzlies, who staged a memorable comeback at Golden State this season, also have a veteran, battle-tested roster. The Thunder improved their bench via a trade-deadline deal with the Bulls, and the Jazz possess a solid 1-2 punch of their own in Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert.
This leads us to our question of the day: Do you expect the Warriors to emerge from the Western Conference playoffs even if Kevin Durant is unavailable or limited due his knee injury? If not, which team is most likely to knock them off their perch and why?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Rockets are going to the finals
They are most likely gonna make it to the finals and win it all together. With Durant they’ll have two MVPs and two other all NBA players. I’m sorry but that’s hard to beat. Even without Durant we know curry and Thompson can both explode on off without a hitch. But that’s just on offense, and while Green is the obvious DPOY, he’s only 6’7. Durant is the leader on blocks for the team, and the rest of the front court would have trouble against Allstar 7’0 like the Spurs or the Grizzlies. I think IF, and this is a big if, Durant is out, the Spurs can have a CHANCE to win it all, but not definitely. With the gasol and Aldridge beating the ball inside, and with Kawhi’s season, and pop leading the team, the Spurs have strong chance. But like I said, it’s most likely gonna be the warriors.
The Spurs can throw Kawhi Leonard, one of the best defenders in the league, against Durant. Then put Aldridge against Draymond Green. Danny Green is a solid perimeter defender and can be thrown against Klay or Curry as well. The problem for the Spurs becomes who to hide Tony Parker on.
And I wouldn’t instantly proclaim the Warriors as champions. The Cavs are still a huge threat. You can’t count against LeBron. Kyrie can match one of Curry/Thompson. And Love and the Cavs deep bench (filled with shooters) have a shot to keep up with the other. And the Cavs depth can really match against any lineup thrown out there. They could play small, throw out an all-shooter lineup, throw out a versatile switch everything lineup, or go big.
The Rockets are the only team in the West that can give the Dubs a run for their money. The Clips are a joke, and 1 or 2 injuries to the Rockets could sink that ship fast. Spurs/Rockets/Warriors are the only hope the whole conference has really.
Rockets cant win a series against GSW by playing their style.
It will take an old-school slow pace team like San Antonio or Memphis to do that. They are the biggest threats for sure.
Hard to count out coach Pop vs any team in a 7 game series. I don’t see Houston beating the Spurs or Warriors ATM, heavily reliant on the long ball can shut down a playoff run quickly.
If Durant is healthy, it’s going to be hard to beat the Warriors. I still think the Spurs and Rockets can put up a good fight…a series against either team should at least go 6 games assuming everyone is healthy. Rockets can match the Warriors in terms of shooting (and could be a more serious threat if the defense plays consistently well) and you can’t discount a Popovich-led Spurs team (who still haven’t faced the Kerr-led Warriors) in a 7 game series.
If Durant isn’t healthy, I don’t see them cruising by (and can actually see them losing) to the Rockets, Spurs, or Grizzlies (Grizzlies seem to be Warriors’ kryptonite at times these past two and a half years). The Warriors don’t have the depth of years past. If it was a year or two ago, I would still give the Warriors a bigger shot because their depth did create problems. But signing Durant did create a hole in their depth.
All depends on KD’s health. If he’s reset to go at even 80% then GS will be headed to finals again. If he’s not then it’s a toss up between Houston, Golden state, and San Antonio for who will represent the west.