As the NBA playoffs loom, here’s 10 things to watch

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry smiles as he conducts an interview at the end of a 125-104 win over the Memphis Grizzlies during an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 13, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry smiles as he conducts an interview at the end of a 125-104 win over the Memphis Grizzlies during an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 13, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Associated Press April 15, 2016 5 min read

The NBA playoffs start this weekend, and there’s no shortage of story lines worth following. Here’s a list of 10 to get you started:

___

1. THE WARRIORS

We begin with the reigning champions, the favorites to capture back-to-back titles. Golden State set the NBA record with a 73-9 regular season, and the Warriors’ reward to open the playoffs is a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals against the Houston Rockets. It’s a matchup of the game’s two best scorers this season – Stephen Curry and James Harden. The Warriors are 12-1 in their last 13 against the Rockets and Curry has sizzled in those games, shooting 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range.

___