In a recent Twitter poll, it was shown that 47 of the 50 states are rooting against the Warriors in the Finals. The three states that actually want them to win are California, Nevada, and Hawaii.
Think about that for a minute.
The Toronto Raptors are a team based in Canada, yet the majority of American basketball fans want them to take out the Warriors. It comes to show you that we are not a fan of dynasties anymore.
I am no Golden State fan. Most people I know are only Warriors fans because they recently started watching basketball and the Warriors happen to be the dominant team at the time - "bandwagon fans" is what we call them.
But I believe that even the bandwagon fans are exhausted from watching the Warriors dominate because it has become boring to watch.
We had the Lebron-led Cleveland Cavaliers make it to the finals four straight times, and now they are going up against the Raptors in a fifth-straight finals appearance. Seeing the same team over and over again can become taxing on the casual fan who wants to see real parody in the leagues they watch.
Does the Warriors organization care? Does Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, or Kevin Durant care?
The answer is no. A hard no, because in the mind of an athlete, it's not about what the fans want. It is about cementing a legacy.
We are looking at history in the making, and we are so blinded by boredom that we do not even realize it. If the Golden State Warriors win the title this year, they will be the first team since the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics to go to five straight finals and win four out of five of them. That's a feat that spans over 50 years.
The Los Angeles Lakers never did it with Kareem and Magic or Kobe and Shaq. The Detroit Pistons never did it with Isiah Thomas. Even Michael Jordan three-peated, took a hiatus for a season to play baseball, then came to win three more. We are talking about history in the making that even some of the greatest players in history never accomplished.
I am not saying that you have to change your mind and hop on the Warriors train. All I am saying is that greatness should be appreciated.
Unfortunately, dynasties are only fun when your team is the one creating it.
So for the Warriors organization and its loyal fans, they will be going for the gold whether we like it or not. Kevin Durant, Demarcus Cousins, and Andre Iguodala are all injured. Klay Thompson was recently snubbed from the All-NBA teams, which will cost him over $30 million when talking contracts this summer. Stephen Curry had three rings and not a single Finals MVP to show for it.
What I am trying to say is that this team has a chip on their shoulders. They want this championship just as bad as Toronto. For some guys, these championships with the Warriors are all they will be remembered for. With that kind of motivation, it is the Golden State Warriors' world and we are just living in it.
