Golden State Warriors: Losing one game in postseason was good thing
The Golden State Warriors couldn’t go 16-0 last postseason, but it’s a goal they can set themselves next year.
Kevin Durant rose up and knocked down the biggest shot of his career over LeBron James to steal Game 3. The Golden State Warriors should not have won that game. The Cleveland Cavaliers caught fire and were able to keep the Warriors at arm’s length away until very late in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors won the third game in the Finals in improbable fashion. In addition to putting them one step closer to hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy, it also put them 48 minutes away from completing a perfect postseason. That win gave the Warriors their 15th consecutive win of the playoffs and they were on the precipice of making history.
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No team has ever gone 16-0 in the postseason ever. With history, revenge, and a championship on the line, the Dubs dropped Game 4. The Cavaliers refused to go down on their home floor and took Game 4 in decisive fashion.
Golden State closed the series out in Game 5 at Oracle Arena. After the meltdown in 2016, the redemption was sweet. Still, there was the sense that the team missed out on really doing something special. With 67 regular season wins, a perfect postseason would have put them in the conversation for the greatest team of all-time.
In a sense, it’s good that they didn’t cap it off. While you never want to squander an opportunity to make history, the Warriors are good enough to get there again. It will be their motivation next season.
It’s easy for teams to get complacent after a championship. After their 2015 title run, they won 73 games, but they fell apart in the NBA Finals. WIth a second championship under their belt, resting on their laurels and assuming the talent will carry them is a possibility.
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The Warriors have a lot of fierce competitors so it is unlikely they just phone it in and expect things to happen like last year’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Still, having something they can work towards is helpful. As they look to establish the most dominant dynasty the league has ever seen, they can chase 16-0 next season.
Golden State didn’t get the perfect postseason, but that’s just a goal they can set for themselves.