The world “super-team” gets thrown around a lot in the modern NBA. Ever since former MVP, Kevin Garentt and perennial all-star, Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo at Boston, every NBA general manager has obsessed with creating their own “super-team”. However, despite a stacked roster, the Celtics, led by their fearsome “Big 3”, ended their stint with a solitary NBA Championship.
Similarly, the Miami Heat big 3, who many would argue were even better than the Celtics, could only muster two underwhelming championships in four years. It must also be noted that both the Celtics and the Heat, towards the ends of their respective eras, were in shambles―the Miami Heat disbanded in 2014 after being outplayed in five games by a brilliant San Antonio Spurs side. Eventually, injuries and time take their toll on even the best players.
This may not be the case for the Golden State Warriors. After securing their third championship in four years, the Warriors look stronger than ever. They now stand on the brink of immortality, should they continue on this trajectory for at least another four years. When the dust settles, the Warriors will go down in history as the greatest team the NBA has ever seen.
Unlike the Celtics and the Heat, the Warriors, with the exception of Kevin Durant, drafted most of their key players. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will all go down in history as some of best draft steals in history. Without the pressure to win immediately, the Warriors were able to craft their own brand of thrilling basketball with an emphasis on constant ball movement and the three-point shot. They were also able to take their time in nurturing Curry into the superstar that we see today.
The 2015-16 season was when it all came together for the Warriors. They dispatched a reduced Cavs in six games. Through a flurry of flashy passes and ridiculous three-pointers, led by relatable superstars, the Warriors won the hearts of millions of basketball fans and were at the height of their popularity.
In the 2016 regular season, the Warriors somehow seemed to improve further, finishing with a record 72 wins. However, in a historic turn of events, they lost to a LeBron James-led Cavs in the finals, despite leading the series 3-1. Unlike the Heat and the Celtics, the Warriors were willing to adapt.
When Kevin Durant announced that he would be leaving Oklahoma City Thunder to join Golden State, the entire league was in shock. The thought of the second best player in the league joining a 72-win team had previously been unfathomable. Despite facing much criticism at the time, this move has paid dividends for both Durant and the Warriors. Two championships later, Draymond Green can be certain that his now famous phone call, recruiting Durant from the parking lot moments after losing to Cleveland in game 7, was indeed the right one.
The Warriors have also had another edge; in almost every play-off series, they have been extremely lucky with injuries. Their core group of players have stayed relatively injury-free throughout the play-offs for almost the entirety of their reign. Many of the teams they have faced have been seriously weakened as a result of injury to their star players.
However, the Warriors have greater tests lying ahead. Thanks to Golden State, superteams have become the new vogue in the NBA. The past offseason saw both Houston and OKC attempt to assemble their own superteams, albiet with varying levels of success. And had it not been for an unfortunate injury to Chris Paul, which resulted in him missing game 6 and 7 of the WCF, Houston might have very well succeeded in toppling the seemingly indestructible Warriors.
As we head into yet another hectic offseason with a number of superstars―Paul George, Demarcus Cousins, Chris Paul and, of course, LeBron James, entering free-agency, there will be a number of teams looking to build a roster capable of competing with the Warriors. Should LeBron go to a team up with at least one other superstar along with a competent supporting cast, something which he was sorely lacking in his final year at Cleveland, he could still pose a huge threat to Golden State next year. Add to this the Celtics and the Spurs, who when fully healthy can be serious title challengers and you got yourself a decent number of teams that, on paper at least, should be able to compete with the Warriors.
The Warriors for their part will look to “Three-peat”, something that hasn’t been done since the Kobe-Shaq Lakers did it in 2003. Whether that comes to fruition will largely depend on where LeBron decides to take his talent. At the moment that could be anywhere. Only time will tell whether he makes the right choice.
