It's time to start taking Warriors seriously after convincing win vs. Heat

Warriors winning streak sparked by Stephen Curry, Golden State’s depth

Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg has been a breath of fresh air, bringing the size, athleticism and versatility that the team had been lacking for years. Meanwhile, unheralded guards Brandon Williams and Will Richard are providing the play around the margins that all contending teams need.

Aside from the productivity of its players, the biggest reason to believe in Golden State is the teams it has beaten so far. During the six-game winning streak, the Warriors have beaten the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat.

While Miami and Denver may not be elite at the moment, their size should have presented an unsolvable dilemma for Golden State. But instead, it was the Warriors who controlled those games and used their speed and quickness to their advantage.

The Lakers and Timberwolves need no explanation — they are supposed to be two serious contenders in the Western Conference.

Perception around Warriors should change after impressive victories

This string of successes for the Warriors, which has now spanned almost two weeks, should make people reevaluate what they think is possible for them. They have proven that they can win games in numerous ways, and Curry is proving that he is still elite, even at 38 years old.

Remember, this was a team in the Western Conference semifinals just about 18 months ago. They still have the championship pedigree thanks to Curry, forward Draymond Green and coach Steve Kerr, and they can use it to propel Golden State forward.

There are still some teams in the west with more talent than the Warriors. But at this point, they have shown the ability to hang with some of the better teams in the league, and it’s time to start taking them seriously.