clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

NBA fans expect the Warriors to win it all

But they don’t think that Steph Curry is the best player in the playoffs.

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Klay Thompson dribbling around an Andrew Wiggins screen Jane Tyska/Digtal First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in Golden State Warriors fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.


The Golden State Warriors are chasing some impressive accomplishments that have only been achieved a few times. If they can win three more games and beat the Dallas Mavericks, they’ll appear in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in a span of eight years.

And that’s what’s expected of them. An overwhelming majority of NBA fans responding to the latest SB Nation Reacts polls predicted the Dubs to beat the Mavericks, and represent the West in June. Admittedly some of those responses came after Golden State’s dominant Game 1 victory, but still.

Graphic stating that 85% of NBA fans expect the Warriors to win the Western Conference Finals

Not only that, but fans expect the Warriors to beat the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics if and when they get to the NBA Finals. More than half of responding fans predicted the Dubs to win a championship for the fourth time in eight years which, again, would be rather historic.

Graphic showing that 55% of fans predict the Warriors to win the NBA Finals, 20% predict the Celtics, 15% predict the Heat, and 10% predict the Mavericks

Yet despite being the current favorites, fans don’t believe that the Warriors have the best player left in the playoffs. By just one percentage point, polled NBA fans think Luka Dončić — not Steph Curry — is the best player on the four remaining teams. With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokić already eliminated, and LeBron James failing to make the playoffs, the two superstars in the Western Conference Finals were the only reasonable choices (with all due respect to Jayson Tatum and Jimmy Butler).

Graphic showing that 38% of polled NBA fans think Luka Dončić is the best player left in the playoffs, 37% think Steph Curry is, 14% think Jayson Tatum is, and 11% think Jimmy Butler is

Perhaps Curry will see that graphic and be motivated by it.


Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Golden State of Mind Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of Golden State Warriors news from Golden State of Mind