The Fall of the Warriors

    For nearly half a decade, the Golden State Warriors dominated basketball. This powerhouse franchise swiftly knocked off every opponent in their way, reaching five consecutive NBA Finals and only being defeated twice.

     En route to their three championships, the Warriors shattered numerous records. From a 73-win regular season to a 16-1 record in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, the Dubs were the definition of a dynasty.

     One thing that set the Warriors apart from other great dynasties was their ability to continuously improve. Following their first championship in 2015, Stephen Curry skyrocketed into the league’s first-ever unanimous MVP award in a season that saw him be considered for the Most Improved Player Award as well.

     Curry and Durant combined to become one of the most lethal offensive duos in league history. Together, the two put up a total of 52.1 points per game across their three seasons together.

     By the 2017-18 NBA season, the Dubs were unbeatable. A core of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Durant and Curry was overkill. The Warriors had, in fact, broken the league.

     Then, just as rapidly as this former laughingstock rose to greatness, the franchise fell off. A series of horrible events occurred one after another as the dynasty came to a startling halt.

     It began with a quad injury to DeMarcus Cousins early in the 2018 NBA Playoffs. The four-time All-Star had been battling all season to recover from his Achilles injury and have an impact on the Warriors postseason run. An injury in the first-round put a permanent dent in his eventual comeback.

     The bad luck didn’t stop here. In the next game, Thompson hit the deck with a torn ACL. As the Warriors dropped Game 6, the Toronto Raptors hoisted their first-ever championship trophy.

     A few weeks later, Durant had made his official departure from the franchise. Though the addition of D’Angelo Russel gave Dubs fans hope for the upcoming season, this faith was short lived.

     In only five games, Curry suffered a fractured left hand. This injury is expected to hold Curry out for at least three months with some experts believing he will miss the entire season.

     Shockingly, the Warriors now have the worst record in the NBA, sitting at 5-24 as of 12/19/2019. Hopefully, the Warriors are constructing a new team right now, getting their younger guys more experience.