Warriors ready to chase championship in wide-open playoffs

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SAN FRANCISCO -- All Andre Iguodala needed was one or two practices with this Warriors team in his return to the franchise to be sure this squad had championship potential. From his arrival in the Bay Area through the Warriors' dynasty and now back for this version, Iguodala has seen every phase of Golden State. 

The Warriors were the fun up-and-coming team when he joined them in a sign-and-trade in the summer of 2013, just months after they upset him and the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. In his first season, they pushed the Lob City LA Clippers to seven games before coming up short. But then, for five straight seasons, there was one guarantee in the NBA: Golden State was going to the Finals. 

In most cases, against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

It was a forgone conclusion -- that wasn't without several obstacles and potholes -- that their playoff road led to winning the West. Whatever they faced, the feeling always was that they would wind up atop the mountain. That isn't so much the case this season, and the Warriors aren't alone. 

This might be the most up for grabs the NBA playoffs have been in years. At least that's how Andre Iguodala sees it. 

"The league's in a situation now where it's wide open," Iguodala said Wednesday to reporters. "You got five or six teams who have a legit chance. But six teams is a lot of teams that have a chance to win it all. Normally it's down to three, maybe four."

Though they're seen as favorites to advance past the first round, there are serious doubts after that. The Warriors are the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference after finishing with a 53-29 record, the third-best in the NBA. When they went to five straight Finals, they were the No. 1 seed four times and the No. 2 seed once. 

Steph Curry joked on Thursday that the only people picking the Warriors to win the West are their families. The Phoenix Suns are the most obvious pick, and plenty of people believe in the Memphis Grizzlies, who beat the Warriors three out of four times this season. 

The three-time champ seems A-OK with that, too. 

"We like the situation we're in and the opportunity that we have," Curry said. "And we obviously understand nothing about this is going to be easy. Never is, and shouldn't be. Why we love being in a playoff-type atmosphere and having missed it for two years -- it's gonna be fun." 

Once Curry won his first of two NBA MVPs, and the Warriors won the championship that same season, the pressure was on. They no longer were the cute new team with the baby-faced superstar. The target was on their backs, and it only grew from there. 

Following that up by breaking the regular-season wins record only added to those expectations. As did signing Kevin Durant and reaching the Finals in all three of his years as a Warrior. 

But everything is different with this group. That includes experience and expectations. For Steve Kerr, that has been nothing but a joy to navigate. 

"I don't have expectations," Kerr said Thursday. "I'm not going into these playoffs thinking, 'All right, we're going to do this or we're going to do that.' I'm just thinking, 'How can we beat Denver on Saturday and move on to Game 2?' 

"In a lot of ways, it makes it really fun. Maybe not as much fun as having one of the greatest rosters ever assembled, but it's a completely different challenge and unique. The main thing is, I love all these guys, and I love seeing them every day, and I love working with them. It's a fun team to coach." 

The Suns remain the favorites to win the West, and this time to take home the title. Until Chris Paul completes that goal, though, there will continue to be questions surrounding Phoenix. The Grizzlies are hungry, talented, and extremely deep. Will their inexperience catch up with them in the playoffs? The Warriors still have their Big Three of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, plus a former Finals MVP and basketball genius in Iguodala. Are they too small? Will their role players step up? Which version of Andrew Wiggins shows up? Is the Jordan Poole Party coming to the playoffs? 

That's a lot of questions, and it only covers the top contenders in one conference. 

Out in the East, the Miami Heat earned the No. 1 seed but don't have a standout superstar. Can they win it all with a group of really good but not truly great players? The Boston Celtics, after a terrible start, have looked like the best team in basketball at times, though Robert Williams' injured knee could end their title hopes. Do the Milwaukee Bucks have what it takes to repeat? Does the Philadelphia 76ers' style work in the playoffs? 

Then there's the Brooklyn Nets. Their duo of Durant and Kyrie Irving looks historically great on offense for stretches. The Nets also refuse to play defense at times, and Kyrie isn't on the same dominant level when he doesn't get a week-plus of rest in between games. 

For many reasons, there are a handful of contenders this season. They also come with some big question marks. This is where Iguodala reminds you of who the Warriors are at full strength. 

"We got one of the best players in the world of all time," Iguodala said of Curry. "We got one of the best defenders in the world of all time in terms of a basketball IQ brain. You can go on and on and on. Add Klay to that as one of the best shooters. You got some other guys who are the best at what they do.

"Wiggs, he's in that league of guys like him. He's at the top of that. Then JP, he's at the top of what he does really well with the young guys. When you put it all together, you got a chance." 

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He also knows the Warriors have been a coin flip too often this season. Their season could conclude after one round or it could be time to plan another championship parade. 

"But you got a Denver team that ... our weaknesses, other teams can expose and win," he said. "We can be a team that loses early or can win it all, which is kind of something we've been struggling with all year and I think it comes down to the level of focus that we come with. We can get young sometimes with the way we throw the ball around."

The Larry O'Brien Trophy is there for the taking. The Warriors could hoist it, and it wouldn't be a surprise if several different teams had the honor. Take it for what it is. It's clear the Warriors are using the opportunity as a brand new one, and even an exciting one, in a season defined by doing their best to defeat adversity.

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