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Original core must carry the Golden State Warriors to victory

By Justin Fried

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 08: Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors congratulate Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors during a time out of their game against the New York Knicks at ORACLE Arena on January 08, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 08: Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors congratulate Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors during a time out of their game against the New York Knicks at ORACLE Arena on January 08, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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After losing their two superstar additions, the Golden State Warriors must now rely on their original core to lead them to the promised land.

The Golden State Warriors emerged as the victors in a hard-fought battle Wednesday night to take a 3-2 series lead over the Houston Rockets. But even though they came away with the win, they still suffered a crucial loss in the process.

Superstar small forward — and current team MVP — Kevin Durant was injured late in the third quarter after coming up lame following a mid-range jumper. Durant appeared to land just fine but seemed to aggravate his lower leg once he started to jog back up the court.

Initially, everyone feared the worst.

In an incident eerily similar to an injury suffered by Kobe Bryant six years ago, the first thought in most people’s minds was that Durant had just torn his Achilles tendon. Fortunately, the initial prognosis indicates that it is not nearly as devastating of an injury as first believed.

That said, Durant could still be forced to miss significant time. Head coach Steve Kerr has already ruled Durant out for Game 6 and it’s unlikely he returns for the remainder of the series if it goes any longer. If the initial diagnosis of a calf strain is correct, the 2014 MVP might be forced to miss up to 2-3 weeks.

We will know more once the MRI results come back on Thursday, but at first glance, this isn’t a good look. In fact, some have speculated that the injury could even be worse than originally reported. World-renowned sports doctor David J. Chao even speculated that the injury could, indeed, still be an Achilles tear.

Regardless, even if it isn’t the worst case scenario, it’s clear that Durant could be forced to miss a sizable amount of time. And since the 10-time NBA All-Star has essentially carried the team to this point, that’s terrible news for a Warriors team looking for their third NBA Championship in as many years.

On top of everything, the Warriors have already been playing a man down after star center DeMarcus Cousins suffered a torn left quadriceps in the first round of the playoffs that has kept him out to this point.

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Now, two All-Stars down, the Warriors have been reduced to their original core.

The core that was the heart and soul of this dynasty long before the additions of Durant and Cousins. The core that laid the foundation for years of Warriors dominance in the NBA. And the core that will now be tasked with leading the Warriors to the promised land once again.

In terms of story-telling, it’s hard to tell a better tale than this.

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Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are the only ones left standing and now must be the ones to carry the team to it’s third consecutive NBA title and fourth of the current dynasty. To this point, it has been Durant who has gotten them to this point. Cousins pitched in along the way giving the team and excellent big-man presence down low.

But in a dramatic twist of fate, the original nucleus of this legendary Warriors dynasty must now lead the franchise to heights very few have ever achieved: the elusive three-peat.

Curry has struggled throughout the postseason shooting just 44% from the floor averaging only 23 points per game. The same goes for his fellow Splash Brother Thomspon who had been essentially invisible before his 27-point outing Wednesday night.

Golden State will need to rely on those two to carry the team on offense and provide the bulk of the scoring.

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Sure the likes of Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala, and Shaun Livingston will be asked to contribute a little, but it’s evident that the main focus will be on Curry, Thompson, and Green to lead the team going forward.

The Warriors hoped that the additions of Durant (three offseasons ago) and Cousins (this offseason) would give them perhaps the most feared starting five in NBA history. And while that may have been true at points this season, none of that matters now.

This could very well be the last postseason run of the current iteration of the famed Warriors dynasty that we have come to know. The futures of both Thompson and Durant remain unknown past this season.

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But if this truly is the end, the Warriors could make sports history by achieving an illustrious three-peat with the core that earned the team its first NBA Championship since the 1970s with their 2015 title.

Now that would be a conclusion befitting of one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.

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