While the current iteration of the Golden State Warriors is battling for better Play-In position, sometimes it's fun to look back on fonder times like when the team was an absolute juggernaut in 2018.
It was eight years ago on February 12, 2018 that the Warriors squared off against the Phoenix Suns and head coach Steve Kerr let the team call all plays and handle coaching duties themselves.
Warriors disrespected the Suns in the worst way eight years ago
Golden State dominated the game, eventually winning 129-83. That was the team's second season with Kevin Durant and they were well on their way to a second-straight title.
There was certainly some debate at the time about whether what Kerr did was disrespectful to the Suns. It's easy to interpret it that way since the Warriors were one of the most talented teams ever assembled, while the Suns were one of the worst teams in the NBA during that period.
Kerr rationalized it by explaining the Warriors were not his team. It was the players' team and he wanted to demonstrate that by allowing them to call the game. Plus, Kerr was drafted by Phoenix and went on to be the team's general manager, so he was obviously not trying to show them up or disrespect them.
That game mainly serves as a reminder of how good those Warriors teams were. They really didn't need coaches or anything. There was enough talent assembled on the floor that it really didn't matter, which is why those two titles felt somewhat inevitable and even bordered on unfair.
Adding Durant to an already stacked team was just such a gut punch to the rest of the NBA. The Warriors were literally thinking championship or bust every year that he was on the team, which certainly created pressure and some internal fights, but it ultimately resulted in two rings.
Flash forward to where the Warriors are now and things feel much different. Kerr himself has referred to the team as a fading dynasty, and while Stephen Curry is still playing at a high level, the team is older and is not the perennial title contender it once was.
That gradual decline is inevitable, but it will be remarkable to look back years from now when the Warriors are struggling and remember just how dominant those Warriors teams were with Durant, so much so that the coaches could just kick back and let the players handle things.