Everyone knew last season was a wash, but with high expectations given their recent history, the Warriors may not reach such lofty standards.
The Warriors lost by 26 in their season opener.
There were several factors that went into it, but after the first five minutes, it was clear the two sides weren’t on an equal playing field.
As the fanbase, especially on social media, grew impatient watching their Warriors get blasted, it made me reminisce on the good times that created such lofty standards.
The Warriors went to five straight Finals, winning three of them. They had two MVPs on three of those rosters, helping create arguably the best five-man unit to ever take the court.
Then, as one MVP left last offseason and the other played just five games while also missing his five-time All-Star running mate, the Warriors won just 15 games.
They’ll again be without Klay Thompson, yet the Warriors still hold themselves to the standards they once played at. Taking on the Kevin Durant-led Brooklyn Nets, the Warriors had a tough task of trying to stop Durant and Kyrie Irving.
It’s nearly impossible to do, and the Dubs shouldn’t be overly upset at the performance their team had. Yes, Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins looked awful. But, it’s one game against a tough opponent. This is the time where we need to back our players.
After all, Wiggins does have three seasons in which he’s averaged over 20 points per game and clearly can still improve. Looney, on the other hand, will be benched if Marquese Chriss can prove his worth.
Nonetheless, the point still stands.
Curry, Thompson, and Durant gave this team such incredible seasons that now, without two of the three and minus Draymond Green for the opener, one game can cause fans to grow yet frustrated.
The Warriors aren’t going to win 73 games this season. Heck, they may not even get to 50 or 55, but there’s still hope for a bright future as James Wiseman, the future return of Klay Thompson and more high-value picks are all waiting in the distance.
That said, stick with this team, and they’ll make it worth it. It was just one game; they’ll be fine.