The Golden State Warriors have endured a difficult 2023-24 season, which has led to talk at various points about whether the dynasty has finally ended. Well, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole says it ended last year.
“There was talk early this season about, ‘Is the dynasty over? Is the dynasty over?’ I think the dynasty was over last year,” Poole said. “But I thought they could still make a real strong postseason run if they pulled everything together, but it hasn’t happened and you’re seeing it. And Warriors fans, who felt so good a few weeks ago, now are like ‘Man, what are we gonna do?’ There’s nothing to be optimistic about right now based on the way the team is playing.”
(starts at 0:58 mark):
"There was talk early this season about, 'Is the dynasty over? Is the dynasty over?' I think the dynasty was over last year."@MontePooleNBCS gives the Warriors a reality check 😬 pic.twitter.com/muDSEDddzG
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 23, 2024
That is quite the reality check. Golden State was the sixth seed last season with a 44-38 record and was eliminated in six games by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Warriors never looked like serious title contenders in 2022-23 and this season has shown that the last one wasn’t an aberration. It is just the reality that this team can no longer contend.
A 123-111 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night meant the Warriors dropped to 36-33 in 2023-24. They are the 10th seed and the red-hot Houston Rockets are breathing down their necks.
The Rockets are currently the 11th seed with a 34-35 record and have won nine of their last 10 games. They look set for another win against the Utah Jazz tonight and there is a real chance now that the Warriors might not even make the NBA Play-In Tournament.
As Poole mentioned, it seemed like the team had actually figured things out just a few weeks ago. Victory against the Toronto Raptors on March 1 had meant the Warriors had won 13 of their last 16 games. Since that win, however, they have returned to their inconsistent ways and have shown why they aren’t real contenders this season.
Unless the Warriors can make a significant move this offseason, I think this is it for them. This group has shown it doesn’t have what it takes to seriously contend for a title anymore and changes need to be made.
The Warriors, of course, ambitiously tried to pull off a trade for LeBron James at the deadline and they’ll need to make a big splash along those lines. If they don’t, well then four championships is all they will end up with in this Stephen Curry era.
Stephen Curry Was Not Happy With The Warriors’ Lack Of Focus In Loss To The Pacers
Curry has been one of the few bright spots for the franchise this season, and he had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists in that loss to Indiana. He was not a happy man postgame, as Curry called out the Warriors for their lack of focus following that loss to the Pacers.
At this point, you would expect everyone on the team to give it their all considering the situation the Warriors find themselves in. It just hasn’t been the case, though, which is concerning.
The Warriors now have a difficult three-game stretch coming up, as they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic on the road. The way they are playing, it’s hard to see them winning any of those games.
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