The Warriors’ dominant 4-1 series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 NBA Finals sent shockwaves throughout the rest of the NBA, as they truly comprehended what Joe Lacob, Peter Guber, Bob Myers, and Steve Kerr had built in the Bay: A multi-dimensional powerhouse. A super-team, certainly without an equal in this era, and maybe in the history of the Association.
Frenzied GMs scurried to make their teams better in whichever ways they could.
Those same Cavaliers traded a recently displeased Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and picks, and picked up Dwayne Wade and Derrick Rose on veteran minimum contracts.The Houston Rockets traded for Chris Paul. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who realized that even “peak” Russell Westbrook wouldn’t be enough for their team to compete, traded for Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.
Now, as logic would suggest, the Warriors will have to “earn” their next championship. They will no longer be able to waltz through the NBA Postseason, compiling a best-ever playoff record (16-1) en route to yet another golden coronation by Lake Merritt.
KNBR Warriors insider and senior columnist for The Athletic Bay Area Marcus Thompson came on with Fitz & Brooks Wednesday afternoon and discussed whether the Warriors are concerned about the perceived higher level of competition they will face this season.
“I think they look at it like, it’s motivating them, right? I think the idea that we all think, ‘Uh, oh, watch out Warriors,’ makes them say, ‘Alright. Let us show you something.’ I remember talking to a couple of players about Oklahoma City getting Carmelo, and they were like, ‘Privately? I mean, alright.’ You know, they were like that’s good for them, like golf clap, right? I just don’t…I don’t think they are worried, I think they know, ‘If we play our game, we’re still better than everybody.’ But, the fact that other people think so, it’s almost like creating the chip. It’s like…it’s almost like they were probably looking for something to have a chip about, and now they’ve got it, because the West is so daunting now, based on all the experts.”
The Rockets, now armed with Paul as well as fellow superstar James Harden, will come to Oracle on October 17 for their (and the Warriors’) first game of the season. The Warriors will receive their 2017 championship rings in a ceremony prior to the start of the matchup. This will be the Warriors’ second straight opening night primetime game against an elite team from Texas, as they hosted the Spurs to begin last season, losing 129-100.
Fitz asked Thompson whether this matchup with one of the league’s newly minted superteams, as well as the talk regarding their new competition, will compel the Warriors to start the season in a “hell on wheels” fashion, or whether they will coast through the start of the season, saving their energy for the end of the season and playoffs.
“I think it might be like the former (hell on wheels) on Game 1, right? And then the rest of the way, they’re like, ‘Alright, we got this.’ You know, because they start off with Houston, right? So they start off with kind of a get-up game,” Thompson said. “Last year against San Antonio, that hyped opener didn’t go so well, so I think they might be on cue that game (against Houston). And I think it depends what happens. If they just run them out of the gym, I think we could see, ‘Alright,’ you know. ‘We got this.’ And Steve Kerr’s already talking about making sure he has minutes for Jordan Bell, right? So we’re already talking about the twelfth guy on the roster. So, I think eventually, I think you’re right. The season can just get so sleepy sometimes because they’re so much better that it might be just like a ‘Let’s hold fort.’ But they start with Houston, right? They start with somebody who just added a hall of famer, and everybody saying is going to be really good. So I think out of the gate, they at least come with that mindset.”
Listen to the interview below. To hear Thompson’s comments on the Warriors, skip to the 5:45 mark.