When the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Finals in 2017 and 2018, the dynasty conversation began until Klay Thompson was injured in the decisive Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
It didn’t help that former MVP forward Kevin Durant tore his Achilles in the previous game. Their season-ending injuries also brought one of the more dominant NBA seasons in recent history to an end.
The Golden State Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals, and it could commence another dynasty or just a continuation of their already-dominant Big 3.
The pandemic edition was equally forgettable with Stephen Curry missing most of the 2019-20 season to a hand injury. The Los Angeles Lakers won that season by taking on a defiant Miami Heat.
The following season saw them miss the playoffs, and that meant the 2021-22 run was all about vengeance. It was a new-and-improved Dubs unit, and the return of Thompson further added teeth to both ends of their game.
It was a clinical start as they won nine of their first 10 regular-season games.
There was a bit of a stutter between November and January before they returned to their winning ways. The dip was seen again in a few games between the end of February and the first few days of March, but it was all smooth sailing after.
Golden State Warriors’ playoff journey this season was not without its share of hurdles.
They overcame Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic and Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic in five games but faced some stiff competition from the Memphis Grizzlies and the Boston Celtics.
In the end, it was the seventh ring they earned — one that the side and fans will hope to be the start of another dynasty attempt. While answering the question of “will they” comes off as premature.
The immediate gut response would be yes.
For starters, this has been one of the stronger and more well-balanced units over the last couple of editions. Not only do they look better on paper, but they’re actually a lot tougher when they take the hardwood.
There’s the Curry factor whose numbers show he’s far from done and is having an extended prime. He averaged 32 points on 48.2% overall shooting in the 2020-21 regular season and a healthy 42.1% from downtown.
The numbers in this postseason came inches close to what he actually did carrying an injury-riddled roster. In the two rounds of playoffs, the Western Conference finals and the NBA Finals, he averaged 27.4 points on 45.9% overall and shot 39.7% of his 3s.
That said, it’s more than just Curry.
It’s hard to call the likes of Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins role players — not after they demonstrated that they could hold their own in a team that missed the services of Draymond Green, Andre Igoudala, and Thompson for much of the season.
Speaking of the comeback man, Thompson played the most playoff minutes of all the Warriors this season after a career-threatening injury knocked him out for two years in a row. While he had his fair share of erratic shooting and defensive shortcomings, he delivered in clutch moments.
As did Draymond Green, who lost some shine offensively in the playoffs but is still the emotional leader on both ends of the court. He has a couple of years left on his contract, and it’s unlikely that the front office will look to pack away any players from the current roster before then.
Finally, there’s a coach of Steve Kerr’s caliber. From being a self-confessed “role player” for the Chicago Bulls to leading the Warriors for his fourth ring as a coach, the man has been a genius and a seasoned campaigner who knows the blueprint to make the postseason regularly.
It’s not hard to liken this team to the Bulls batch in the 90s. They may not have Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, or Dennis Rodman, but they do have three stars who can decimate even the most formidable sides when they align.
For now, if this Warriors roster is healthy and manages to carry on even half the form, we will see them as favorites for another title repeat. It should be a surprise if they don’t.