Golden State Warriors: The drastic fall of an all-time great dynasty

The Golden State Warriors formed a dynasty like none other in NBA history.

For nearly half a decade, the Golden State Warriors dominated basketball. This powerhouse franchise swiftly knocked off every opponent in their way, reaching five consecutive NBA Finals and only being defeated twice.

En route to their three championships, the Warriors shattered numerous records. From a 73-win regular season to a 16-1 record in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, the Dubs were the definition of a dynasty.

So, how is it that less than one year after an NBA Finals appearance, the Warriors now hold the worst record in the league? To understand their downfall, we have to analyze what made them so special in the first place.

One thing that set the Warriors apart from other great dynasties was their ability to continuously improve. Following their first championship in 2015, Stephen Curry skyrocketed into the league’s first-ever unanimous MVP award in a season that saw him be considered for the Most Improved Player Award as well.

After falling bitterly close to back-to-back titles in 2016, the Dubs reloaded with a four-time scoring champion in Kevin Durant. With KD, the Warriors reign of terror doubled as opponents found no way of slowing down the star tandem.

Curry and Durant combined to become one of the most lethal offensive duos in league history. Together, the two put up a total of 52.1 points per game across their three seasons together.

By the 2017-18 NBA season, the Dubs were unbeatable. A core of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Durant and Curry was overkill. The Warriors had in fact broken the league.

Then, just as rapidly as this former laughingstock rose to greatness, the franchise fell off. A series of horrible events occurred one after another as the dynasty came to a startling halt.

It began with a quad injury to DeMarcus Cousins early in the 2018 NBA Playoffs. The four-time All-Star had been battling all season to recover from his Achilles injury and have an impact on the Warriors postseason run. An injury in the first-round put a permanent dent in his eventual comeback.

Shortly after, Durant fell with a lower leg injury against the Houston Rockets. This would hold Durant sidelined until Game 5 of the Finals in which he played just 13 minutes before rupturing his Achilles tendon.

The bad luck didn’t stop here. In the next game, Thompson hit the deck with a torn ACL. As the Warriors dropped Game 6, the Toronto Raptors hoised their first-ever championship trophy.

A few weeks later, Durant had made his official departure from the franchise. Though the addition of D’Angelo Russel gave Dubs fans hope for the upcoming season, this faith was shortlived.

In only five games, Curry suffered a fractured left hand. This injury is expected to hold Curry out for at least three months with some experts believing he will miss the entire season.

In shocking fashion, the Warriors are now left with a roster consisting of two borderline All-Star players (Russell and Green) and a plethora of unproven role players. It goes without saying that this team’s ceiling is limited.

Luckily, the Warriors have a chance to revive the dynasty next season. Some strong pickups in free agency, as well as a potential franchise shifting NBA Draft Lottery, the Warriors can flip the script and be elite once again.

For now, the Dubs must watch as their team plummets towards the bottom of the standings for the first time in a long time.