Kambui Bomani
Sports Writer
Professional sports dynasties have a way of developing a shelf life of their own. When the great teams manifest themselves and go on legendary championship runs, their immortality takes a life of its own. In the moment, the organization seems invincible, and their level of productivity seems insurmountable and portray as if they can last forever.
However, like any other great sports run, there’s a beginning and an end to a championship tenure. Usually its end point is the ugliest manifestation in the team’s title run with the unit succumbing to players leaving, injuries, or their opposition improving their level of play.
The Golden State Warriors were a level of dynastic success that the NBA only saw from the Miami Heat in this decade. From 2010-2014, the LeBron James Heat won two championships in four years while running the eastern conference. Once LeBron James returned to Cleveland the summer of 2014, the Warriors took over as the championship model of the league winning three titles in five years succumbing to only a seven-game series defeat in 2016 and a six-game series defeat in 2019.
During that time, the organization and its players made monumental transactions in free agency and saw their drafted talent develop into league changing players right before their very eyes. Power forward, Draymond Green became the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year by becoming a do-everything frontcourt big that was the key to their team’s defense.
Shooting Guard, Klay Thompson developed from a non-dribbling spot-up shooting backcourt mate into the best two-way two guard in the league. Thompsons ability to become a dominant perimeter defender while also maintaining his three-point marksman ability has helped the Warriors create a backcourt of long-range bombers. 2-time league MVP Steph Curry who became the NBA’s best three-point shooter in recent years while developing his playmaking skills to become one of the top tier lead guards in the game.
This trio helped Golden State develop into one of the marquee title contenders in the game behind the coaching of Steve Kerr from 2015-2017. And while they went to the NBA Finals two straight years, won a title, and won a league record 73 games in 2016, Kevin Durant raised the teams winning profile into an insurmountable stratosphere.
Durant’s scoring prowess and improved individual defense made the Warriors into a juggernaut that couldn’t be destroyed. His ultimate demise and the wear and tear from other Warrior players, led to Golden States eventual defeat to the Toronto Raptors preventing a three peat.
It all lead to Golden State currently fighting for survival and relevancy in 2019 where their organization and teammates have deemed it a lost year. They’ve lost as many games this season as they had in their 73-9 campaign and departure and injuries have plagued their slow start. Stephen Curry broke his hand the second week of the season while Klay Thimpson is currently still recovering from his ACL tear from a year ago. Draymond Green suffered an upper arm injury in the team’s season opener amongst an array of other injuries that have affected their play. Then there’s Kevin Durant being injured as well along with the fact that he’s on a new team and isn’t a future insurance policy that they can lean on.
DeAngelo Russell is the team’s lone offensive provider currently and has the team treading through the season on fumes with the 2020 draft in its sights. Such a demise from Golden State has some people upset despite the new arena.
Kejaun Wright, an electrical engineering major from Biloxi, Miss., believes the Golden State Warriors dynasty was good while it lasted.
“The 2019-2020 Warriors aren’t the 2017-2018 Warriors. The team’s time at the top has come to an end as the game has evolved. Stephen Curry’s reign at the top of the basketball world was incredible.”
Tyler Hardin, a criminal justice major from Memphis, Tenn., wishes the Warriors would have pursued Kevin Durant harder in free agency. The team has suffered tremendously since the NBA Finals this past summer and their nightmare of being irrelevant is coming true.”
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