The Golden State Warriors are clearly the favorites to win an NBA title after acquiring Kevin Durant this year. However, many people are taking it to another level by saying this season is going to be boring and that the Warriors are a foregone conclusion. To the people who feel that, I respectfully disagree. Here are three reasons why they are not a foregone conclusion to win the title.
1. Team chemistry issues
Many people think that just because Kevin Durant is a Warrior, that the Warriors are now a lock to cruise to a championship. I respectfully disagree. As we have seen throughout NBA history, super teams like this sometimes take some time to gel. It is also clear that talent does not always win titles; it is a combination of the right mix of talent and personnel and teamwork to win an NBA title. Just ask the 2004 Lakers or to the 2011 Miami Heat how difficult it can be to gel initially. Even the Lakers of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O Neal did not start winning titles until Phil Jackson become the coach and found a way to mesh their talents together with the triangle offense and his methods to motivate and unite players. As talented as the Warriors are, they have so many players who need the ball in their hands to score. And as unselfish as the Warriors are, it is still going to take time for the Kevin Durant to mesh and fit in with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the rest of the crew.
2. Loss of Key Players
In landing Kevin Durant, the Warriors easily got the biggest fish in the pond. However, they also lost a lot of key components. While I like Zaza Pachulia, he is no Andrew Bogut. Even though Bogut was getting older, he was still a good rim protector and he was one of the guys that helped build the foundation for the Warriors initially. The other key loss is Harrison Barnes, a solid young player with a good three point shot and a strong defensive prowess. He was a more natural fit with the Warriors and also does not need the ball in his hand as much to score the ball. The loss of Leandro Barbosa, a guy who can come off the bench and make big plays and a former sixth man of the year, may also hinder the Warriors
3. Lebron James
Many people this year jumped on the Steph Curry bandwagon calling him better than LeBron James. Lebron James responded by winning an NBA title and beating Steph Curry in the NBA finals. I understand that he was assisted by the league and had some luck as the Warriors lost players for the last 3 games. But if Steph Curry is a superstar, and he is, he should be able to close the deal on his own. He still had enough help to win at least one of the other 3 games to win the title. As a result, till at least the final game of the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers with Lebron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Tyronn Lue, and the rest of the crew will be NBA champions. Lebron proved he is the best player in the NBA right now. And it is going take a lot for the Warriors to beat them and if they are not on the same page, the Cavs will beat them again in the NBA finals.
In the end if the Warriors want to win a title, they are going to have to find not only offensive balance, but they will have to balance between who closes the game. If they can do that, they will beat Cleveland in a close fought NBA finals. If they cannot do this, Lebron James will repeat as champion and Kevin Durant will get a lot of criticism
