Golden State Warriors Mailbag: Rotation, Bogut or Green, Title Expectations
March 23, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr addresses the media in a press conference before the game against the Washington Wizards at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Wizards 107-76. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
@MaggiePilloton is anything less than an appearance in the NBA Finals a disappointing season?
— RyanLeong 梁俊民 🖖 (@RyanLeong) April 1, 2015
At the beginning of the season, I would’ve answered this question with a big no. If the Warriors had failed to make it to the NBA Finals but had made it to the Western Conference Finals, for example, that would’ve been an incredible feat given the fact that they hadn’t made it past the Western Conference semifinals in recent years and that would’ve been the next logical step in their progression of playoff experience.
However, given how dominant the Warriors have been throughout this season, it would be fair to say that the Warriors should be able to make it to the NBA Finals. Given their record and their elite level of play this year, fans and NBA analysts expect this Warriors team to make it far in the playoffs and might even view this season as a failure if they don’t reach the NBA Finals.
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I doubt I’d view this season as a complete failure if the Warriors don’t reach the NBA Finals, but it would be disappointing, as we’ve seen the potential of this Warriors team. The Warriors have accomplished a lot this season, in terms of their record, individual awards, franchise records, etc, but as we all know, none of that feels that special when a team has failed to live up to expectations and didn’t go far in the playoffs.
If the Warriors can stay healthy for the rest of the season and throughout the playoffs, if they can keep executing at the level that they are now on both ends of the court, and if they can continue to force opponents to play their style, then yes, if the Warriors failed to reach the NBA Finals, it would be disappointing.
However, if unexpected injuries come up, that would be somewhat unfair to label the entire season as disappointing due to an unfortunate, unexpected circumstance. It’s up to the Warriors though to ensure that they continue to execute and play their style of basketball. Some of those factors are completely in their control, and no opponent should get in the way of them focusing on their goals and what they need to do to win.
The Warriors can’t get ahead of themselves either. They need to take the rest of the season one game at a time and focus on each game and each opponent in the playoffs. The Warriors can’t get complacent, and they must stay focused on what they can control.
As someone who was a diehard Warriors fan even during the really awful, dark years, I’m incredibly happy and proud of this Warriors team for what they’ve accomplished so far. I believe in this Warriors team, and I will be proud no matter what happens. I might be disappointed, but I will be proud no matter what.