Golden State Warriors : It’s Not about Sacrificing, It’s About Winning

When the Golden State Warriors made one of the most stunning free-agent acquisitions in NBA history by signing Kevin Durant, the talk of sacrifice spread throughout league circles like wild-fire.

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Whenever a super talented player like Kevin Durant changes organizations, it sends shock waves throughout the country.  Sports talk radio and television ratings spike, as millions of people tune in, anxious to hear how their local or national talking heads spin their versions of how it all happened and what it means. The Golden State Warriors may not have been talked about as much during their title run as they have been this offseason.

Usually, there are a wide variety of contrasting views and opinions. But every conversation centering around Durants’ decision seemed to be taking on a familiar tone. And the talk of sacrifice seemed to be the most popular theme.

Who will have to sacrifice and will anyone object to sacrificing?

The endless chatter about individuals on Golden States’ roster, having to “sacrifice” due to Durant’s addition, became a little too much for All-Star, shooting guard, Klay Thompson.

"“I feel kind of disrespected that people keep using the term sacrifice to describe me and describe us. We all want to see each other do well. But I’m not sacrificing {expletive}, because my game isn’t changing.”"

Thompson went on to vocalize how his game will remain the same and how he will continue to lean on his strengths.

"“I’m still going to try to get buckets, hit shots, come off screens. I want to win and have a fun time every game we play,” Thompson concluded."

Thompson’s words weren’t that of a disgruntled superstar unwilling to share the spotlight. It was a knowledgeable assertion from someone who is very familiar with the intricacies and nuances of championship basketball.

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Thompsons’ superior shooting skills are undeniable. If it weren’t for Warriors’ teammate Stephen Curry, there would be no debate about who the best shooter currently in the NBA is. In fact, there might not even be any debate about who the best shooter in NBA history is.

The Warriors’ coaching staff’s ability to incorporate and utilize each individual’s skill set  has been pivotal to their recent success. Steve Kerr‘s system is predicated on spacing and ball movement.

And when you posses the best shooting backcourt in NBA history spacing becomes your ally.

Golden State’s superior long range shooting has opened up the NBA court like never before. And the array of offensive fire power the Warriors can throw out on the court at any given time has made it almost impossible for opposing defenses to dictate the style of play.

The addition of Durant will only enhance the difficulties opponents face when challenged with defending Golden State’s versatile offense.

Even a mid-range sniper like Shaun Livingston will instantly become the beneficiary of an expanding post area, due to the dilemma created when trying to defend three-point assassins like Curry, Thompson and Durant.

It’s obvious that Thompson’s quest to win while having fun won’t be achieved by him sacrificing the amount of shots he takes.

The Warriors and Thompson both must continue to utilize the strengths that made the organization so attractive to Durant. This is vital in order for the Warriors to even come close to achieving the amount of success many pundits foresee in their future.

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If opponents were wishfully hoping that Durant’s presence would somehow stifle the extraordinary shooting of Thompson and Curry — well everyone is allowed to dream.

Sacrificing is not going to be the driving force behind these new look Warriors.

Golden State’s ability to squeeze every ounce of talent out of this loaded roster will ultimately determine, how this “Super Team” is evaluated in the annals of NBA history.