There is a reason why there is no clear cut championship favorite in the NBA this season. As ESPN's Kevin Pelton points out, "Of last year's four conference finalists, three sit at .500 or worse and the fourth (the San Antonio Spurs) are in seventh place in their conference."
That's not exactly a quality indicator of repeat success. As such, new teams have emerged as title threats, most notably the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors lead the Western Conference by three and a half games. They are one and a half games ahead of the Atlanta Hawks, who lead the Eastern Conference and are enjoying a 12-game winning streak right now. Golden State also leads the NBA in point differential at +10.9 points per game.
Don't sleep on that last stat.
"Not only is the Warriors' point differential so much better than the rest of the league, but it's historically great," Pelton wrote. "Since the ABA-NBA merger, just four teams have outscored their opposition by double figures on average...All four won the championship."
That's not bad company to be in. It's also not a surprise. Stephen Curry is playing at an MVP-caliber level, while fellow backcourt mate Klay Thompson is putting up the best numbers of his career. First-year head coach Steve Kerr has greatly improved Golden State's ball movement, and the Warriors are pouring in the buckets as a result.
The big question when it comes to the Warriors is the health of center Andrew Bogut. Golden State has accumulated four of its six losses in the 13 games Bogut missed so far this season. The big man has been sidelined for a combined 78 games since he joined the Warriors in 2012. However, Pelton believes it would be possible for the Warriors to muscle through a Bogut absence and reach the Finals if needed.
"Winning four playoff series would be a lot to ask of the Warriors without Bogut, but they have played well enough without him that the injury caveat should probably be softened," Pelton wrote. "Fortunately for the Warriors, Bogut is healthy now. As a result, there should be no question that the clear NBA title favorite plays in the Bay Area."
