Golden State Warriors 5 keys to 2019 Western Conference Finals vs. Blazers

1. Take the Blazers seriously

The Warriors are the best team in the West and probably the league. After smoothly outlasting the Rockets, few are questioning that reality. With KD’s injury, however, the team is more vulnerable than ever. The Warriors of years past wouldn’t be caught dead needing six games to beat an 8-seed — and that was before their best player got hurt.

Golden State played Game 6 in Houston with an urgency it rarely exhibits anymore in what many speculated was a sort of “prove it” moment for the dynasty’s original core. Maybe that was the reason, or maybe the reason was simply that Golden State recognizes Houston as real competition. With the nonchalant way the Warriors played the Clippers, it seemed at times as if they didn’t realize the playoffs had begun.

No matter what failures the Blazers have had in the past few years, this 2019 version has learned from those disappointments and genuinely improved in the face of hardship and injury. After hanging around the playoff scene for years, this team has the feel of a lite version of the 2011 Dallas Mavericks — a good team running it back and finally having things break their way.

It’s mind-boggling to have to write this stuff out, but the Warriors’ on-off switch doesn’t seem to be working like last year’s. If they don’t come out and play hard with the intent to put the Blazers away immediately, this David and Goliath story may end up going the way of the Old Testament.