When the Warriors announced that Kevin Durant was likely going to be sidelined for more than a month as a result of a knee injury he suffered against the Wizards on Feb. 28, most NBA fans assumed it would mean the Warriors would struggle without him. And initially, they did. Golden State lost their next game to the Bulls, beat the Knicks and Hawks, and then suffered three straight losses against the Celtics, Timberwolves, and Spurs. It was their first three-game losing streak in three years.
But the most demoralizing moment for the team came during a home game against the 76ers on March 14 as they were trying to snap that three-game streak. Despite the fact that the Sixers are, well, the Sixers, they grabbed a double-digit lead late in the third quarter of the game and looked like they were going to coast to an impressive road win over Golden State. It was a low moment for the Warriors, and many NBA fans reveled in the sudden downfall of the star-laden team.
Fortunately, for Warriors fans at least, the team didn’t suffer a total meltdown against the Sixers. It wasn’t pretty, but Golden State rebounded to beat the Sixers 106-104, and it jumpstarted a winning streak that’s still going on today.
Since beating Philadelphia, the Warriors have won eight more games in a row. And while a few of them were against teams that won't make the postseason like Magic, Kings, and Mavericks, the majority were against playoff teams like the Bucks, Thunder, Grizzlies, Rockets, and most recently, the Spurs. After falling behind by 22 points in the first quarter against San Antonio on Wednesday night, the Warriors came roaring back to win 110-98. Golden State now holds a 3.5-game lead over the Spurs in the Western Conference playoff race, and with just seven games left on their schedule, they appear to have the top spot all but locked up.
So what do the Warriors owe this impressive winning streak? Some people are saying it’s all about their newfound commitment on the defensive side of the ball. Others are saying it has to do with Steph Curry locating his shot after a shooting slump. But our favorite suggestion thus far is that it has to do with… a toaster? That’s right—a toaster. As SB Nation pointed out on Thursday morning, the Warriors haven’t lost since Klay Thompson signed a toaster for a fan a couple weeks ago:
And you know what? We think they might just be on to something. Sure, the Warriors’ defensive effort has been better in recent weeks, and yes, Curry is stroking the ball like he usually does again. But those aren't the only things that have sparked the Warriors' sudden string of success. Here are some other things—outside of the toaster, of course—they need to credit for helping them get back to their winning ways.
1. Steph Curry’s Puppy
Everyone knows that puppies make any situation better. There is scientific proof of it. So when Steph Curry was going through a shooting slump recently, he didn’t just spend extra hours in the gym working on his jumper. He also spent almost $4,000 on a Goldendoodle and named him Rookie. Shooting slump over.
2. Draymond Green’s Beef With Nicki Minaj
After Nicki Minaj released three new songs earlier this month, including one that featured her name-dropping LeBron James, Draymond Greenwent off on Nicki on his podcast and blasted her for mentioning LeBron all the time. He didn’t specifically say that he wanted to hear more Warriors name-dropped, but come on, who wouldn’t want Nicki yelling their name on a song? And you’re not going to get shout-outs by losing games.
3. LaVar Ball’s Crazy Comments
At this point, LaVar Ball has said so many wild things that the stuff he said about Steph Curry a couple months ago has long been forgotten. But during an interview with TMZ Sports, he said his son Lonzo is going to be a better NBA player than Curry. He also reiterated that statement just last week on ESPN First Take. Curry has refused to comment on anything LaVar has said, but he’s let his play on the court do the talking in recent weeks
4. JaVale McGee’s Toilet Paper
Don’t sleep on the negative effect that some crappy 1-ply toilet paper can have on your life. Fortunately, the Warriors haven’t had to worry about that recently thanks to the JaVale McGee-branded TP Draymond Green brought to the team facility.
5. Charles Barkley’s Bold Prediction
Charles Barkleygave the Warriors "zero chance" to win an NBA title without Kevin Durant in the lineup just days after he was ruled out with a knee injury. But he also gave them next to no chance to win the title a couple years ago because he said they were nothing more than a jump-shooting team. And we all remember how that turned out, right?
6. Steph Curry’s Biggest Fan
Earlier this month, a 6-year-old boy and his mom got turned away from a Warriors/Hawks game in Atlanta because their $600 tickets were fake. Warriors owner Joe Lacob responded by flying the boy and his mom to the Bay Area to catch a Warriors game against the Grizzlies and meet his favorite player Steph Curry. It was a nice gesture, and it looks like it scored the Warriors some seriously good karma. And if that good karma lasts, their current winning streak might not end anytime soon.
