Will the Golden State Warriors continue to dominate with their current roster?

 

Why wouldn’t they be? Since the Jimmy Butler trade, the Warriors are on fire, going 5–1, 6–1, something like that. I haven’t watched this new version of Golden State play a whole game, but I don’t need to. The Warriors are that one team in the Western Conference that nobody wants to face come playoff time. (LeBron is still the one player everyone dreads seeing in the postseason, though. Shoutout to the Baby G.O.A.T., still balling at 40 and inspiring me to get off my couch and attempt a few airballs.)

Back to the Warriors—before Butler joined, they had already taken down the Thunder and consistently owned the Grizzlies when it mattered. The Nuggets? Their time at the top is fading, no matter how crazy Jokic’s numbers get. Plus, the biggest threat to the Dubs, Anthony Davis, is no longer a Laker. The Warriors are just half a game away from the 6th seed in the West, which would keep them out of the Play-In and give this older squad some valuable rest.

Golden State’s schedule from here on out? One of the easiest left in the West, while teams ahead of them have brutal matchups. So why am I confident that their recent success isn’t just a hot streak? Because Steph already said it—Butler’s presence makes every offensive possession less exhausting. Instead of forcing something when the clock winds down, he can just hand it over to Butler, who’s getting them to the line more often and even putting them in the bonus early.

The Warriors are a jump-shooting squad, and when their shots aren’t falling, getting to the free-throw line helps them hang in there. And while they don’t have a big post presence, come playoff time, they’ll have their emergency plan: Himmy. Himmy Butler is that guy when the pressure’s on, and his ability to grind out tough buckets could be a game-changer.

And you know playoff Draymond is going to be loud, intense, and absolutely locked in. Trash talk? It’s an art form, and he’s the Picasso of it when motivated. Plus, you can’t overlook how Butler’s Finals experience gives him a hunger that even the Warriors’ four titles can’t match. The dude’s ready to go from Hall-of-Famer to legend.

Bottom line? The Warriors aren’t just coasting on vibes—they’re legit contenders, and it wouldn’t shock me if they ended up measuring their fingers for another ring. Would you be surprised if they went all the way?