The long and tumultuous regular season for the Golden State Warriors has finally ended, and  now the real season begins. They have a highly anticipated first-round playoff matchup with the  up-and-coming Sacramento Kings, which is the first time in NBA history that the two franchises  will face off in the playoffs.  

The defending champions want to show critics that last season's championship was not an  aberration. There are many paths that the Dubs must follow to win in the playoffs, but specifically here are three critical keys to zero in on to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy in June.  

Number 1, they must defend the perimeter on defense better than they have during the regular season. They  gave up 117.4 points per game this season, 122.5 points on the road, but more importantly,  opposing teams shot 36.4% from the 3-point line. If they want to have any chance of winning in the playoffs, especially against Sacramento, they need to tighten up their defense and slow down the King's long-range sharpshooters.

Sacramento averages the highest points per game this season, 120.7 points per game, and they  are in the top 10 in the association when it comes to 3- point percentage at 36.9% a game. On the bright side to improve that, Golden State will get some much-needed help with the return of Andrew Wiggins after his absence due to personal reasons. 

“Andrew looks great, feeling great, and he’s ready to go,” head coach Steve Kerr stated in his  post-practice presser Thursday.  

It will be fascinating to see how they utilize Wiggins in his first game back, after being clear to play for game 1 of the series after a 24-game absence. NBA insider for the Athletic, Shams  Charania, along with Warriors’ insider for the Athletic, Anthony Slater, hinted that the Warriors  are leaning towards Wiggins coming off the bench in a 20 to 25-minute capacity.  

Not only does he bring a ferocious intensity to the defensive perimeter, but he also provides  the 2nd key to focus on being successful in the playoffs: Rebounding.  One of the greatest minds in basketball, Pat Riley, once stated: “No rebounds—no rings.”  

Rebounding isn’t glamorous, but it’s one of the most critical aspects of the game. If they can  rebound at a high level, keep teams from getting second-chance scoring opportunities, get out in  transition offense, they will be successful in the playoffs. 

As much as defensive rebounding is crucial to their success, offensive rebounding may be the  aspect that determines if they make a deep playoff run.  

Warriors Center Kevon Looney led the league in offensive rebounds per game, 3.3 per game, and  total rebounds this season with 274 offensive rebounds. The craziest stat from the season is that the Warriors scored more points off Looney’s offensive rebounds than any other team in the  NBA. Second in the NBA in that stat is Domantas Sabonis of the Kings. The battle of the big  men will be a key matchup to watch in the first-round matchup.  

If Looney can keep up his stellar play on the offensive glass, he will give them many second and  third-chance scoring opportunities, which is a key to their success.  

And finally, the NBA is a make-or-miss league, especially in the playoffs. The Warriors have an aspect that  a select few can match on the court: Elite shooting. They are first in 3-point makes per game, 16.6, and shoot 38.5% from 3-point range per game, which is second in the NBA. 

The Warriors are borderline unstoppable when Steph, Klay, Jordan Poole, Wiggins, and Donte  DiVincenzo are all contributing to the avalanche of 3-pointers silencing the opposing team and  opposing fanbase.  

The Warriors' playoff success will ultimately come down to their ability to defend on the perimeter, rebound the basketball at a high level, and shoot efficiently from beyond the arc.

(Photo credit: Harry How / Getty Images)