Who is the Dark Horse of the NBA?

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

It didn’t take long for the Golden State Warriors to show their grit against the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers at Oracle Arena on Wednesday night. The team rolled out a 33-24 first quarter lead and coasted the rest of the way to defeat their division rivals 115-94.

The win pits them at a healthy 22-10 record, landing them in fifth place in the Western Conference standings. But can they make some legitimate noise as the NBA’s early-season dark horse?

There are plenty of questions surrounding the relatively unexperienced squad of youngsters. Not only do they count three rookies, a sophomore and a injury-prone fourth-year point guard as their top nine players, there isn’t much in the way of playoff experience among them. The only member of their 2006-07 “We Believe” playoff team that’s stuck around is the relatively unknown Andris Biedrins, who doesn’t merit much attention these days as a backup center.

Still, the Warriors have drastically improved their game since the early going in the NBA season. Forward David Lee has elevated his game to insurmountable heights, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game (the only player to do so in the league). His ability to both knock down the 20-foot jumper and to use both hands in the paint to finish make him an All-Star worth watching this season.

The Warriors also boast one of the best shooting backcourts in the league. Stephen Curry’s silky smooth stroke has given Golden State fans finally something to cheer about. Not only is he averaging a career-best 20.4 points per contest, he’s done it against some top-notch defensive talent. On Wednesday night, he was deadly from long-range, netting 6-of-8 three-pointers while being chased down by Chris Paul.

Meanwhile, sophomore guard Klay Thompson has had his fair share of hot streaks to keep the Warriors in playoff contention. In the past few weeks, he’s ballooned his points per game average to 15.8 while shooting a sliver below 40 percent from the field. And what makes him even more deadly is the Ray Allen-type quickness he brings to his shot, making it almost impossibly tough on defenders to block, or even disrupt, his shot.

Though, those hot streaks can turn cold on a moment’s notice. Fortunately, Thompson hasn’t shot under 33 percent from the arc since November.

These three developing stars could very well be producing at their max. But we won’t know for sure until we reach the postseason and see how they can respond with the weight of the nation on their shoulders. But either way, it’s a safe bet to see the Dubs in the playoff picture come April.