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Regardless of the Outcome, We Should All be Proud

By Greg Chin

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As the Golden State Warriors prepare to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, I have something personal to say to Warriors’ fans everywhere.

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Regardless of the final result, we should all be proud of what the Warriors have been able to achieve this season.

As fans (and humans), it’s natural to be disappointed when the team you’re supporting doesn’t win. Despite having the most successful season in franchise history, each of the 18 losses the Warriors have had this season was disappointing in some shape or form. The Warriors have become so good that we now expect them to win every game, and to do so in supreme fashion.

The expectations surrounding this team have risen so high, that not winning the title would be considered a failure by many.

However, to put everything into reference, let’s rewind to the beginning of the season. According to preseason odds provided by Odds Shark, the Warriors were 25/1 to win the title. They had the eighth best odds in the league, and were behind other Western Conference teams like the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Clippers, the San Antonio Spurs, the Houston Rockets, and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Much of the buzz surrounding the Warriors as they started the season was whether they could improve under coach Steve Kerr. Kerr was an unknown entity at that point, and with zero coaching experience, some felt as though he could end up holding the Warriors back. There was also the uncertainty surrounding Klay Thompson and the proposed Kevin Love trade – again, many felt as though the Warriors made a mistake by not trading for Love.

Even as the team embarked on their 16-game win streak, there was doubt as to whether the Warriors were the real deal. After all, “jumpshooting teams don’t win”, right? (Shoutout to Sam Amico)

Then, the stats began to roll in. The Warriors have the eighth best point differential of all time, are tied sixth for the best win-loss record of all time in the NBA, have the second most home wins in NBA history, boast the most wins by a rookie head coach, and were undefeated in the regular season when they allowed under 100 points.

It was then when the world truly began to realize how good this team was.

As always, success breeds expectation, and with it comes with the potential for disappointment. The narrative quickly changed from “the Warriors aren’t that good” to “if the Warriors don’t win, it will be a disgrace”.

But here’s the thing – it’s not a disgrace. The 2014-15 Warriors were one of the best regular season teams of all time, and will take their place in the annals of NBA history. No one expected them to be this good, and they defied the odds.

This was a team with a .348 win percentage just three seasons ago. This is a franchise with a history of losing, and was widely considered as a “joke team” in the league for more than a decade. Anyone that followed the franchise from the mid-90s to the mid-2000s will attest to how demoralising each season was.

And now, this team has the best record in the league, has a shot at winning the first title since 1975, and could very well create a dynasty for themselves. Let’s not be spoilt fans and call this season “disappointing” if the Warriors lose.

Regardless of the outcome, we should all be proud of our Conference-winning, historically great, franchise-best Warriors.

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