Golden State Warriors Hot Takes Entering Final Week of 2024-25 NBA Regular Season
On Thursday, behind 37 points from Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors upended the Los Angeles Lakers (in L.A.), 123-116.
They're now 20-5 since acquiring Jimmy Butler ahead of the trade deadline, and this run has us headed to the hot-take machine for Golden State's final week of 2024-25.
Based on the Warriors' surge over the last couple months, this is what we can expect over the next few.
Warriors Will Win 5 of Their Last 6 Games
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Beating the Lakers on Thursday extended Golden State's current streak to four wins.
And now the Warriors will finish their schedule with games against six very beatable opponents.
- Denver Nuggets: 14-19 against above-.500 teams this season.
- Houston Rockets: Haven't beaten an above-.500 team since February 25.
- Phoenix Suns: Absolutely reeling.
- San Antonio Spurs: Tanking since Victor Wembanyama left the rotation.
- Portland Trail Blazers: A stiffer test than you might realize, but still a below-.500 team.
- Los Angeles Clippers: Assuming everyone's healthy, likely the toughest test remaining.
Given how Golden State has played since the Butler trade (it's 20-4 with him in the lineup), it's not crazy to think the Warriors can win all six of those games.
But running the table might be a little too bold, even for this article, so we'll settle on a more reasonable (but still spicy) 5-1.
Jimmy Butler Will Lead the Warriors in Triple-Doubles
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This may not seem like that hot a take, given the fact that Jimmy Butler already leads the Warriors in 2024-25 triple-doubles with two, but he does play on a team with Draymond Green, who has 33 in his career.
And consider this sort of a two-pronged prediction. It's not here because Butler is going to stay at two, while Green will finish with one on the season. At some point in the next six games, Butler is going to get one more.
His fit alongside Curry and the rest of the Warriors has been about as close to perfect as anyone could have imagined. His playmaking has opened the floor for everyone who shares it with him. And though he's not looking to shoot a ton, the threat of his scoring has taken a lot of attention off Curry.
Butler's pass-first approach to his new team and teammates will help him notch at least one more double-digit assist night. And Golden State's willingness to play small will give him the rebounding opportunities he needs, too.
Draymond Green Will Win Defensive Player of the Year
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From the moment Victor Wembanyama went down for the season with deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, we suddenly had a deep and compelling race for Defensive Player of the Year.
Dyson Daniels is averaging 3.1 steals, the ninth-best mark of all time and the highest since 1989. Evan Mobley is anchoring one of the best defenses in the East, for a 60-plus win team. Luguentz Dort gets the toughest assignment every night for one of the greatest defenses of all time.
But Draymond Green's 97th percentile defensive estimated plus-minus, his versatility and ability to guard inside and out on that end, Golden State's seventh-ranked defense and some legacy course-correction will earn him the award.
Right or wrong, there will be some voters who look at the crowded field, think about the fact that Green—arguably the greatest defender of his era—only has one DPOY and cast a vote for him.
Don't get me wrong. His case goes beyond that. The Warriors allow 3.0 fewer points per 100 possessions when the 35-year-old is on the floor. But the less tangible legacy argument will help put him over the top.
Golden State Will Finish Above the Play-In...
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The Warriors have been hovering right around the play-in line for weeks, and there are several good teams right there with them.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and maybe even Denver Nuggets (if they keep playing the way they have for most of the post-All-Star break segment of the season) could all be fighting to stay in the top six.
Two of the above won't.
But don't expect Golden State in that 7-8 game. It's 18-2 in games that all three of Curry, Butler and Green play. And that trend will remain strong enough through the end of the season to finish in the top six.
...and Face (and Beat) the Lakers in the 1st Round
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Earlier this week, the hot-take cannon took aim at the Lakers and called a first-round victory for L.A. against the Warriors.
But analysis is subject to change, and if these teams meet (there's still a decent chance that happens) in the playoffs, Golden State is capable of winning the series.
The Lakers are loaded with offensive talent, particularly at the top of the roster with LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, but they're not as stout on the other end as the Warriors.
They have a pair of feisty defenders at forward with Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt, but they're susceptible to major breakdowns on the perimeter. And the Warriors have two of the most dangerous and one of the most unique perimeter creators in Curry, Butler and Green.
Golden State has more defensive upside and cohesion than L.A., too. That's especially true when Butler and Green are both on the floor.
So, while a Lakers win and validation of the earlier prediction wouldn't be surprising, recent events have forced a rapid flip-flop on this potential series.
Because the Warriors have the more balanced roster, they're the ones headed to (at least) the second round.
