Golden State Warriors showed heart, but they couldn’t overcome fate

The Golden State Warriors gave it everything they had in their 2019 NBA Finals run, but they couldn’t overcome the overwhelming presence of fate.

The 2019 NBA Finals will forever be a series etched into the collective memories of Golden State Warriors fans and NBA fans alike.

Perhaps we will look back on this series as the final nail in the coffin of the remarkable Warriors dynasty. Or perhaps it will only be yet another speedbump overcome by a team that has been put through the figurative wringer this postseason.

One thing’s for sure, this series is one that will change the landscape of the NBA for the foreseeable future.

There were plenty who wanted to see the Warriors dynasty finally come to an end, but to see it go down like this is simply heartbreaking — whether you’re a fan of the team or not.

But let’s forget about the future for right now. There will be plenty of time to discuss what will happen, but let’s just focus on the incredible display of heart and determination that we have just witnessed.

You can hate the success, you can hate the winning, and you could hate the championships. But you cannot deny respect for the Warriors — not after what unfolded in the NBA Finals.

This wasn’t the typical Warriors team of old. This was a hobbled, beat-up version of the Warriors desperately clinging on to their championship aspirations. It was a bit startling to see the Warriors in this position — they were the true underdogs.

And like any good underdog, they weren’t going down without a fight. But alas, fate just couldn’t let them prosper. Not anymore.

First, it was DeMarcus Cousins who suffered a torn quad in just the second game of the postseason. This was Cousins’ first postseason appearance after nine years of falling short and fate tried to yank his moment away from him.

But Cousins simply wasn’t going to be denied his opportunity.

The four-time NBA All-Star powered back from injury and eventually made his return in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. While he was certainly nowhere near 100%, that didn’t stop him from making an impact throughout the series.

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However, fate had already reared its ugly head just a couple of weeks prior.

Superstar forward — and likely playoff MVP to that point — Kevin Durant went down with a calf injury in Game 5 of the Western Conference semi-finals against the Houston Rockets. After an initial fear that he might miss the remainder of the playoffs, Durant would fight through the pain and make his triumphant return in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

With the Warriors trailing in the series 3-1 desperately in need of a spark, Durant risked his own financial security to come back early from injury to try and help his team win another championship. Unfortunately, that risk would ultimately be his downfall as he suffered a devastating torn Achilles late in the first quarter.

Durant, much like Cousins, showed heart. Only fate had different plans for him.

We also need to give a shoutout to Kevon Looney who perhaps showed the most heart out of any Warriors player. Looney suffered a legitimate cartilage fracture near his collarbone in Game 2 of the NBA Finals series.

Initial reports obviously had him missing the remainder of the postseason only for him to defy all logic and return after missing just one game.

Looney winced in agonizing pain with every step he took but it clearly wasn’t enough to keep him out. In fact, the 2015 first-round pick would end up starting his first game of the playoffs in Game 6 even despite his injury.

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Others fought through injuries throughout the NBA Finals including the likes of Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson with the latter missing Game 3 due to a lingering hamstring injury.

But once again, both returned to fight another day until one literally couldn’t fight any longer.

The Warriors were able to survive injuries to Cousins, Looney, Iguodala, and Thompson as each returned to play again, albeit not always at 100%. They even fought to overcome the devastating injury to arguably their best player in Durant.

But alas, no matter how much heart and determination the Warriors showed, the powers that be had already made up their minds.

After putting up a whopping 30 points through nearly three quarters of action, Thompson landed awkwardly following a foul from Toronto Raptors shooting guard Danny Green. The Warriors star writhed in pain as he clutched his knee while lying on the cold Oracle floor.

What we didn’t know at the time was that Klay Thompson had just torn the ACL in his left knee — an injury that could very well keep him out for all of next season. Unfortunately, a similar fate to his teammate Durant.

The events that unfolded next were something straight out of a movie. Thompson was initially helped into the locker room by teammates and team officials before stopping dead in his tracks to turn around and head back on to the court.

After all, he was fouled — he still had two free throws to make.

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Thompson would drain them both and as he jogged back up the court it was clear that he had every intention of remaining in the game. Coach Steve Kerr made the wise decision to pull him and it soon became clear that this injury was something very serious.

But that moment when Thompson emerged from the tunnel and walked back on to the court represented everything the Warriors had fought for throughout these playoffs. Injuries and fate may have done their best to keep them down, but they weren’t going down without a fight.

They were going to give everything they had.

The future remains cloudy and now more than ever is the state of the legendary Warriors dynasty in question.

Whether this is the end or simply another chapter, the story of the 2018-19 Warriors will be one told for decades. And the ripple effects of this series will be felt for perhaps just as long.

The Warriors were astoundingly resilient and the fanbase should be incredibly proud of everything this team has accomplished.

But sometimes, fate is just too much to overcome.