It Won't Be Easy

To think I've been reading about the Warriors to escape from politics.

Sports commentators started out saying the Draymond Green conflict with Kevin Durant was no big deal; now they're certain that it means Durant will leave the Warriors this summer.  Meanwhile the Dubs have lost three of their last four games, and face some tough competition in the coming week on the road.

But conventional wisdom is..well, conventional.  It's what everybody says because..everybody is saying it.  For example, the loud complaints that the Warriors were unbeatable and the season could just as well be cancelled.  Now the warning that the only way the Dubs get defeated is due to internal strife.

The season is still very young, and some teams doing well now may fade while others now struggling could get themselves together.  But even when the Dubs were on a long winning streak, it was becoming clear that there is competition in the NBA, and not just for second place.

In the western conference, Houston has reemerged as the Warriors nemesis in their lopsided victory this week.  Their defensive switching still mesmerizes the Warriors.  If a playoff series goes to the team that wants it more, then Houston--with a weaker bench but more experience--could knock them off.

Meanwhile the Lakers could be the Cavs of the western conference--a team that can do just enough to let King James win them a series, or a team that can't cope at all.  Portland at this point is maybe a team to watch later.

But what's clear now is that, without Steph Curry or a theoretical Boogie Cousins, the Warriors can be defeated.  Injuries in the playoffs could be enough to dethrone them.

That's even before they face the Eastern champs, be it Boston, Toronto or Milwaukee, any of them pretty much guaranteed to be stronger competition than the Cavs.

The Warriors lost in Dallas tonight but by only a bucket, without Curry or Green, and with a good spread of scoring beyond Durant's 37.  Now they play a better team on the second night of a back to back.  The coming week may not be pretty, but the Warriors will rise again.

On the other hand, if anybody thought it was going to be easy, welcome to the NBA.