Fansided

NBA Power Rankings: The Los Angeles Clippers’ curse is lame

By Brandon Jefferson

May 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) embraces guard Chris Paul (3) after game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Warriors 126-121 to win the series 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) embraces guard Chris Paul (3) after game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Warriors 126-121 to win the series 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Zaza Pachulia
Nov 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia (27) and forward Kevin Durant (35) and forward Draymond Green (23) in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors 39-7

Last week: 6-1
Last rank: 1st

Are the Golden State Warriors fully embracing their villainry? In their rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers, we saw Draymond Green take out Lebron James on a fastbreak — James isn’t blameless in this sequence, that flop might’ve drawn a red card in a soccer match. In their very next game, fan-favorite, Zaza Pachulia, picked up his own Flagrant 1 foul when he collided into Russell Westbrook on a pick-and-roll — Westbrook might not have tried to sell it like James did, but Pachulia’s stare down afterward warranted Westbrook’s postgame statement about the incident. After being America’s favorite team, the tide might have fully turned on the Warriors.

Next: LeBron James needs help and Dion Waiters doesn't

These two flagrant fouls along with the distaste still in the general public’s mouth just seeing Kevin Durant in a Golden State uniform might be enough to push them squarely into the villain role for good. However, lost in all these is the fact that Kevin Durant has been absolutely on fire when facing his former team. Durant has scored 79 points on 40 shots in two games against the Thunder. Prior to this season, Durant’s 30.9 PPG against the Warriors was his highest average against any opponent. Now, it’s his 39.5 PPG against Oklahoma City that tops the list. The biggest takeaway from this week’s games for Golden State will be how they’ll redistribute their minutes with David West sidelined for two weeks with a thumb injury.

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