Commentary on the Golden State Warriors Playoff Aus: The Dynasty is History

Steve Kerr has been the main person responsible for the Golden State Warriors for nine years. Excluding the two-year hiatus following Kevin Durant’s departure, the Warriors have been the NBA’s gold standard ever since. They were more than a basketball team, a team with its own style of play, identity and approach that has often been imitated but never truly duplicated.

In 2023, on the other hand, the Warriors were a normal NBA team that relied primarily on being somehow saved by Stephen Curry’s brilliance. In Game 7 in Sacramento, the chef did that with 50 points, but even that was a sign that the Golden State isn’t the Golden State we used to know.

Warriors vs. Lakers: The series at a glance

First it was Strength in Numbers with the Death lineup, later the Hampton Five with Durant, and last year’s return to Strength in Numbers light as the Warriors took their fourth title with their depth. And in this postseason? There was a supreme Curry, a Kevon Looney doing the dirty work under the hoop, and plenty of question marks.

Klay Thompson was a shadow of his former self, Draymond Green had a very thankless matchup with Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins was visibly not in the form of last year and Jordan Poole was almost played off the field in the Lakers series. The Warriors needed more curry than ever. The Lakers threw everything at the Warriors superstar, especially Dennis Schröder. And even LeBron James had realized by game 4 at the latest that the Lakers will win this series if they tire Curry.

It was no coincidence that Curry remained under 40 percent shooting in each of the last two away games. Even a drained curry was the best option for Golden State. Coach Steve Kerr also correctly recognized after the game that this team had no championship potential, but said that the Big Three (Curry, Thompson, Green) still had a lot in the tank.

Golden State Warriors: The question marks aren’t getting any smaller

That may be, Curry in particular shows no signs of wear and tear at 35. Nevertheless, you can’t shake the feeling that the magic of the warriors has been lost a bit. There were still moments here and there in the Kings series, but against an elite defense like that of the Lakers, Golden State seemed surprisingly haphazard. There wasn’t much besides the curry pick’n’roll.

And weren’t the Warriors the team that only resorted to this simple move in the important moments? In these playoffs, however, it was necessary and Curry is unstoppable with his gravity in interaction with Green. Still, it’s not what this team actually wants. Instead, the Lakers made their mark on that series and deservedly won it.

It feels like the end of this dynasty. The Warriors’ style will remain in the regular season in particular, where the dubs will continue to overwhelm their opponents if they are motivated. The chemistry between Green (if it stays) and Curry remains unique, but due to the godfather time and the more difficult framework conditions in terms of team building, keyword new CBA, the Warriors do not have the best cards with regard to the future. The new luxury tax rules will make it harder to add depth to an already thin team, leaving the non-aging stars with more of a burden to shoulder.

Maybe Wiggins can step it up a notch, maybe Gary Payton II can stay healthy for another full season, maybe Moses Moody can establish himself as a key rotation player, maybe Jordan Poole can eventually be a reliable sixth man in the playoffs. In addition, the consistency in the team speaks for the dubs in a league full of star trades, but there are still many “maybes”.

The Warriors will continue to make a good team, but they are no longer high-flyers. The warriors you loved or hated no longer exist.