Anticipation is growing around the 2021-22 NBA season, particularly for Golden State Warriors fans eagerly anticipating the return of a successful campaign.
But even if they’re not the best team in the league, the Warriors have the very real chance of being the most entertaining and interesting team, even from a neutral fan’s perspective.
As the 2021-2022 season continues to near, the Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors have questions and plenty of them.
The NBA is an entertainment product for viewers after all. Just like a good television show, fans get drawn into specific storylines involving teams or particular matchups. Whether it be the first matchup against a former team or just the makeup of a roster, fans yearn for the answers to a variety of questions that will ultimately play out in front of us.
This makes them unpredictable and therefore must-watch TV, even if they’re not the best or most aesthetically pleasing team. Would you rule them out from winning the western conference? No. Would you rule them out from being involved in the play-in tournament again? No.
It’s the rare mix of players that makes this the most interesting team since Kevin Durant joined in the 2016 off-season. Back then, speculation was rife on how Durant would fit with a team coming off a 73-9 season.
We knew they’d be amazing, but to what level? Would any player take a backseat role?
After that first championship with Durant, Warriors and NBA fans became accustomed to the team winning…a lot.
The most interesting aspect became what incredible feats they could achieve on a team and individual level. Sure it was great to watch, but it was borderline unfair and we generally knew what the final result would be.
Fast-forward to this team and there’s a uniqueness rarely, if ever, seen in the NBA. Three Hall of Fame players (Curry, Thompson, and Green), mixed with four extremely talented but young players (Poole, Wiseman, Kuminga, and Moody).
The entire NBA community will tune in to assess the undertakings of an ambitious Warrior front office. If it works, they’re set up to be the most dominant team in the league for the next decade. If it doesn’t, fans will claim they’ve wasted Stephen Curry’s prime.
On top of this, Warriors fans will clamor to discuss questions surrounding the other cast members. Will the growth of Andrew Wiggins continue? Can Otto Porter Jr. stay fit and play a crucial role? How much can the returning Andre Iguodala contribute on the floor?
It all makes for one crazy season ahead!