The Ups and Downs of the Warrior's Dynasty

For the past five seasons, the Golden State Warriors were at the top of the league. The Warriors have been dominating season after season, winning three out of five championships they competed in. The super team consisted of star players including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green. For the past decade the Warriors have been progressing until their breakout 2014-2015 year. Finishing the season at 67-15 and winning the championship proved that this team was just getting started. The NBA world was surprised, to say the least, by the success of the team after not being a threat for over 40 years. Competing in yet another finals in 2015-2016 was no surprise to the league, but the outcome was. The Warriors were up 3-1 in a best of seven game series against LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Unexpectedly, the Cavaliers became the only team in NBA history to come back in the NBA Finals once being down three games to one. The basketball world was in shock, questioning how this could have happened to a team who just set the record of most wins in a season at 73. In the 2016 offseason the Golden State Warriors signed one of the league's top players, Kevin Durant. Durant became the most hated player in the NBA for joining the best team in the league. This team won the next two championships by a landslide. No one could see the Warriors going downhill in the near future, but the unexpected happens. The Warriors made yet another playoffs but this time Warriors fans' breaths were taking when Kevin Durant injured his calf on May 8th. He came back in game five of the NBA finals but shockingly tore his achilles just minutes into the game. The Warriors were in doubt, but pulled through to force a game 6 against the Toronto Raptors. Game 6 was going strong when yet another gruesome injury occurred. Klay Thompson lands awkwardly and tears his ACL, ultimately putting their championship hopes to a close. The Warriors future and dynasty was questioned. Will they be the same? Will Durant stay with the team? Months later, Kevin Durant was traded to the Brooklyn Nets that offseason for D’Angelo Russell. The NBA fanbase didn’t believe the Warriors would be the same and that the historic dynasty was coming to a close. The 2019-2020 season had started and the Warriors weren’t off to a great start, but everything got worse yet again. Stephen Curry breaks his left hand in his fourth game of the season. Everything had gone wrong for the Golden State Warriors and their playoff hopes were no longer in sight. They had their worst season ever, only winning 15 games. The Warriors future is in jeopardy, with no one knowing how the team will play without one of their star players Kevin Durant. But could they bring back their old team's roots and win yet another championship? Next season will be a huge turning point for the Warriors and their teams future success.