The Warriors enter the 2023 NBA playoffs as the No. 6 playoff seed in the Western Conference after a unique up-and-down regular season.
Still, though, Golden State (44-38) is considered a heavy favorite in its first-round series against the No. 3 seed Sacramento Kings.
Warriors forward Draymond Green believes the defending league champions also should be favored to represent the West in the NBA Finals.
Green offered a sly rhetorical response when asked by NBA insiders Chris Haynes and Marc Stein on the “This League” podcast to name the biggest threat to win the West.
“Steph Curry healthy?” Green asked Haynes and Stein. “Klay Thompson? I can tell you personally, I’m pretty healthy. No one’s 100 percent at this point but I’m pretty healthy. Body feels good. Looney’s healthy. Jordan Poole’s healthy.
“I think the Warriors should be the favorite because, quite frankly, Steiny, Haynes, you guys want to look like geniuses? Go out right now and say the Warriors are going to win the championship.”
Golden State never has lost a Western Conference playoff series under coach Steve Kerr. All six playoff runs with Kerr have resulted in a Finals appearance, with four championships to show for it.
Golden State Warriors
This year, however, could be different. The Warriors have plenty of flaws -- from their road struggles to their league-high 16.3 turnovers per game -- but they are not alone. Every West playoff team has at least one glaring weakness.
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“In all seriousness, I don’t think there is any clear-cut favorite in the Western Conference,” Green told Haynes and Stein. “We love our chances if we’re healthy.
"I think there’s a lot that can happen. I never really take this stand on anything, but if I’m being honest with you I think it’s wide open. I think it’s as wide open as we’re ever seen before.
“Do I think the Warriors could win the championship? I 100 percent believe we can win a championship. But guess what? The Warriors also could have missed the playoffs. That was also a possibility [a few] days ago."
The wild, wild West is wide open. But if the Warriors take care of the basketball and lock down on defense, it's hard not to like their chances.