Don’t look now, but the Golden State Warriors are atop the Western Conference standings with a 12-4 record, having defeated the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans Friday night. The win almost assuredly cemented their group as the number one seed with a 3-0 record to date. The season alone has come as a surprise with the Warriors sitting where they are. If they have their sights set on winning the NBA Cup, it could set the table for them down the season’s stretch.
Warriors Pushing to Win NBA Cup Carries Value
Warriors Atop the West, Atop their Group, Atop NBA Cup Odds
If you expected the Warriors to be having the type of season they’re having after Klay Thompson exited The Bay this past summer, you’re clearly lying. If you expected Buddy Hield to play like he is, filling the void Thompson left, again, you’re clearly lying. If you—well, let’s just say, no one expected this Warriors squad to be 12-4 and currently holding the number one seed in the West. Most, the NBA media landscape included, expected the Warriors to be a play-in team, if anything at all. Instead, here they are, with some even putting them in contention for an NBA championship at the end of it.
Let’s focus on the NBA Cup for now, though. The Warriors have sole possession of their group after Friday night’s win over the Pelicans. The Dallas Mavericks (2-1) and Denver Nuggets (1-2) are behind them, while the Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies are essentially done. Before going into Friday night’s matchups, in which the Nuggets, Mavericks, and Warriors were all scheduled to play, the Warriors were given +400 odds amongst the Western teams of winning the NBA Cup championship. Those odds, according to ESPN Bet, will have likely increased after their win in New Orleans.
Winning the NBA Cup Helps the Golden State’s Season
On ESPN’s NBA Countdown show before the Warriors/Pelicans matchup, the panel discussed those +400 odds. Additionally, the Warriors chances of winning the in-season tournament. Brian Windhorst took it a step further, though. He laid out his perspective on how this tournament can help set the table for Golden State’s season. And that’s whether they win or lose.
“I think this actually has great value for them because they are doing an experiment this year. They’re experimenting whether this team, this system, they can play twelve guys, and all together, and even though they’re young and even though they have smaller roles, that this can work and can compete in a championship level, and this is a test run in this Emirates Cup that is actually going on right now, and quite frankly, its important for the whole league. If the Warriors think that they’ve got a good enough team in January they may go into the trade deadline.”
Winning the NBA Cup would be quite the accomplishment if Golden State could pull it off. Given the way Steph Curry is still playing, Andrew Wiggins‘ resurgent-esque season, and the contributions of players like Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, and others, this Warriors team has the potential to keep the surprise going.
