I can’t believe I have to write this article, but apparently I do, because people are actually arguing that the Golden State Warriors will not be making the NBA playoffs next season.
This isn’t a straw man thing. This isn’t “some lunatics on Twitter are saying” thing. Bobby Marks, the former GM of the Nets, said on ESPN that he didn’t have the Golden State Warriors making the playoffs. On the same network, Tim Legler had the Warriors sneaking in as the 7-seed. Other NBA Twitter folks are earnestly asking if this team makes the postseason.
These NBA gurus, whose opinions I respect and who follow the league much more closely than I do, have the Warriors are somewhere between a fringe playoff team and not making the playoffs at all, and I feel like I’m losing my freaking mind.
I understand that Kevin Durant joined the Brooklyn Nets this offseason. I get that. Andre Iguodala is heading to the Memphis Grizzlies. Tough loss.
But let me check the roster for a second. Yep. The Warriors still have the two greatest shooters alive (possibly ever) in Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. They still have Draymond Green, an All NBA who’s the best playmaking big in the league and who can also guard five positions.
I don’t even care that they added D’Angelo Russell. Whatever. He’s fantastic, but he’s icing on the cake. Let’s ALSO ignore the fact that they’ve got a top 5 coach in Steve Kerr. Even without those two things, the Warriors have three of the best 15 players in the league and we’re sitting here saying they won’t make the playoffs.
This team didn’t have Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala was hurt and they still played the Raptors evenly in the NBA Finals and we’re saying they don’t make the playoffs now?
I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. What is going on right now? WHAT ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT? ARTICLE OVER.
