OPINION: The end of the Golden State Warriors’ NBA dynasty is near
Dominant for the last 10 years, the Golden State Warriors appear to be in decline. Even though they qualified for this year’s playoffs, the Californian team does not seem to be in a position to compete for the title.
The Golden State Warriors’ season hasn’t been very good. With Klay Thompson’s contract about to expire and of course the overall aging of the team, this is no surprise. The unexpected happened in the pre-season, when they brought 38-year-old Chris Paul to the team.
Of course, sacrificing Jordan Poole wasn’t a bad idea – the current season has proven that – but when your main backup is a player who turns 39 next month, it feels like an admission of weakness.
Chris Paul didn’t work out. His averages are the lowest of his career, and you wonder what he’s doing on the team.
It’s true that an injury hurt him, but he didn’t mesh with Stephen Curry. The Warriors popularized Small Ball in the NBA, so why not try Ultra Small Ball?
A five-a-side formation with Paul, Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green seemed like an opportunity for the Warriors.
But that’s not what happened. One man who symbolizes this state of affairs is Green.
His season comes down to one number: 17. That’s the number of games he was suspended for – first for choking Rudy Gobert and then for punching Jusuf Nurkic.
Klay Thompson is in the midst of his worst season in 10 years. So much so that he has lost his place to newcomer Brandin Podziemski.
Kevon Looney, a key figure in the 2022 title campaign, is completely sidelined. As for Andrew Wiggins, his importance has diminished, as have his playing time and statistics.
So what can we take away from the Warriors season? Once again, Stephen Curry has been the backbone, scoring 26.4 points on over 40% shooting from the perimeter.
Curry alone doesn’t save
AFP
But that is no longer enough and, despite the “Boss’s” prowess, the fact that the team depends so much on him is no longer a good sign, unlike 10 years ago. The team has a 16-8 record when he scores at least 30 points, but has five losses in six games without him.
The most glaring example is Curry’s best game of the season. On February 4, the two-time NBA MVP scored no less than 60 points against the Hawks, but Golden State lost the game in overtime.
The result included an outrageous 4-for-19 shooting performance from the field by Klay Thompson. And, to illustrate the Warriors’ lack of depth, the team’s second-highest scorer was none other than Lester Quiñones.
If the play-in standings remain as they are, Golden State will have to face the Lakers in a do-or-die game.
When looking at the roster, individual seasons, offense and defense, it is safe to say that the San Francisco team will not be NBA champions this season. There is, of course, the glorious uncertainty of sport. But this is no longer enough and, without a doubt, we are witnessing the end of a dynasty.
The Warriors revolutionized basketball in the mid-2010s, betting on Small Ball, which is now widely practiced. But although they won their last title in 2022, they are now falling behind.
The cups won by Milwaukee and then Denver point to the patient and intelligent construction of a team around a generational player. And the NBA has no shortage of standout players. While the future belongs to Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama and others, the Warriors are slowly approaching the end of their era.