If you know anything about the NBA, you would know that the entire NBA was changed in just one day. Before this day, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the NBA Finals Champions for the first time in franchise history, the Golden State Warriors were looking for redemption for next year, and the other 28 teams in the NBA had slim, but true, chances at being a sleeper to unseat those teams. The Oklahoma City Thunder looked to also rebound from a devastating crumble in the Western Conference Finals by resigning Kevin Durant and added one or two more pieces to their team to win a title.
Then Kevin Durant did what everyone knew was going to happen, but couldn't believe. He signed with the Golden State Warriors. He signed with the same team that set the NBA record for most wins in a season, that already had three All-Stars in their starting five, and the team that just barely beat the Thunder to make it to the Western Conference Finals. In one day, Kevin Durant went from a respected, high-regarded player by all fans of the NBA to being thought of a coward, sell-out, ring chaser, and a sore loser.
Now everyone believes that, with signing Kevin Durant, the Golden State Warriors are automatically in the NBA Finals and will win the Championship this year and the years after that. When you have four of the top 15 players in the starting lineup, that could seem like the case. Theoretically, this team should set offensive records, win more than 73 games in the season, and dominate the playoffs. Now let me tell you why that isn't going to happen. People are already saying if this team doesn't get more than 73 wins, they are a bust. That couldn't be farther from the truth. The Warriors already have the record and they have said on record that they don't care about the record anymore, they just want to win titles. I don't disagree either that they'll make the playoffs. It is a given. The only thing that I don't see happening is them winning the NBA Championship.
The main problem that the Golden State Warriors faced during this year's playoffs was the fatigue from the season and how it led to Curry being injured for however long in the playoffs. The whole team was worn out chasing the 73 wins that they didn't have enough energy for the playoffs. A fair assumption is that with the signing of Kevin Durant, they will be able to rest their star players for longer while keeping one or two out on the court at all times. That's only possible if they are all shooting lights out. Last year shows that it won't happen every game. When the stars of a team go cold, the team needs the bench and the role players to come alive. It wasn't the superstars of the Warriors that lifted them to the Finals, it was their depth. If you watched a playoff game with the Warriors, odds are you saw Shaun Livingston or Leandro Barbosa shoot lights out at times. Or maybe you saw Andrew Bogut show a defensive IQ only second to Draymond Green. Thanks to signing Kevin Durant, the Warriors lost a significant part of their bench. Sure they might be able to make the Finals, but without capable players of relieving the stars, the team is going to be worn out and suffer the same fate as last year, maybe even worse.
So don't fret NBA fans! The season has not ended before it has even begun. History has shown that Superteams don't always work out and it seems that this one could be one of those. In the meantime, hoist your teams flags proud and please don't jump on the Warriors' bandwagon because the wheels could becoming off sooner than later.
