Golden State Warriors: This Season was Golden State’s All Along
By Marc Grandi
Drafting
Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA Today Sports
Hidden behind a façade of losses and frustration, Golden State’s luck turned around long before the wins started to pile up. In the draft rooms, Warriors executives manufactured success — but could not have done it without some simple, unadulterated luck.
Joe Lacob, Bob Myers, and everyone who has even the slightest to do with this roster deserves high praise. Yet, this praise would not have been possible if the Minnesota Timberwolves had not selected Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio with consecutive picks in the 2009 NBA Draft, leaving Curry on the board when Golden State selected at pick number seven.
Credit everyone at Golden State for recognizing and capitalizing on Curry’s talents, but also recognize how lucky the Warriors are Minnesota decided to pass on the scrawny kid from Davidson College.
Credit the scouts who urged Golden State to pick Klay Thompson in the 2011 NBA Draft, but also thank the Sacramento Kings, who selected Jimmer Fredette just one pick before Thompson became a Warrior.
Credit whoever was involved with Golden State winning the coin toss prior to the 2012 NBA Draft, allowing them to pick seventh instead of eighth overall, which kept the pick from being shipped to the Utah Jazz because of an earlier trade.
But enough about luck. The Warriors deserve this title as much as any other championship team does. Sure, Golden State’s journey through the playoffs was easier than advertised — this is not a groundbreaking thought. In fact, there has been some debate concerning whether the Warriors’ title should be accompanied by an asterisk as a result of the Warriors’ romp over multiple injured teams.
However, the concept of an asterisk accompanying this championship run needs to be put to bed. The idea is absurd and forgets all of the Warriors’ accomplishments. Golden State’s season was historic and may never be duplicated; they won 67 games in an über-competitive Western Conference, all while boasting a historic win margin that rivaled the win margin of Michael Jordan‘s Bulls . For the first time in NBA history, a member of the all-NBA 1st Team helped his team knock off all four other members of the same all-NBA 1st team. Curry and the Warriors defeated Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol, James Harden, and James.
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The Golden State Warriors certainly benefitted from luck and good fortune — just as all champions do — but they also had enough talent to beat any fully-healthy team in the league. The many records they broke and came close to breaking (which previously seemed almost untouchable) attest to that and there is little evidence to suggest the Warriors would falter in the playoffs regardless of opponent and health.
And just as those fans that believe in the Basketball Gods knew this Golden State team was destined for greatness, those same fans know that more greatness looms: luck struck again when Kevon Looney miraculously fell to the Warriors with the 30th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Golden State is getting repaid after years and years of torment and torture. Balance, it seems, is finally being restored to the universe.
Next: Golden State Warriors Depending On Internal Growth to Remain On Top