The Warriors were a 73 win team without Durant, adding him made life easy and equally dominant.
The NBA Finals are almost here and we’re going to likely see another Warriors title. Whatever the outcome, afterward one of the most entertaining offseasons we’ve had yet will take place. The number one storyline will be Kevin Durant’s choice for the next step in his career.
As most free agent choices in the NBA have gone recently, this decision has taken over parts of the Warriors season and infiltrated its way into their practices and games on a daily basis. The playoffs had mostly taken away the teeth of that plotline because we had playoff basketball. Then Durant got hurt and the Warriors swept the Trail Blazers.
Because there’s a massive gap between when the Warriors finished off the Blazers and when they’re going to begin the finals, this is now all we have to talk about regarding the Dubs. One of the most plentiful conversations has been whether or not they’re actually better or not without Durant.
There is some statistical validity to this conversation. Every time Durant has been out since he joined the team, the Warriors seem to win. They have an impressive record with him off the court and the games remind everyone of the Splash brother and Draymond led Warriors. The “innocent” Warriors.
Klay and Draymond are both far more involved without Durant, and Steph is the focal point. It makes us consider life without a Durant led Warriors and enjoy it. Yet, the idiotic discussion about Durant’s absence making the team better is so boring. Each time any team wins without one of its best players consistently this conversation comes up, and it makes me yawn.
The Warriors won a title and 73 games without Durant and then won a couple more with Durant. GUESS WHAT, they’re amazing with and without him. Whatever happens in the Finals this year, in the offseason, and hereon after with Warriors; the belief that the Warriors were better without one of the best forwards of all time on their team is wrong.
They were a different team without Durant, one that may provoke more of an entertaining brand of basketball, but one that is certainly more hamstrung then when they can rely on Steph, Durant, and Klay as three of their main options. It was sometimes awkward and unsure of itself, but there were never moments with Durant that the Warriors’ success didn’t feel inevitable. That’s what this Durant/Warriors era should be remembered for. The inevitability of them winning the title each season they were together.
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