As disappointed as we are about the injuries that derailed our title hopes, we're actually lucky the past 5 years.

[killmongrel]

And I'm not talking about the injuries that came about to other teams. Injuries are part of the game. It's just too bad that they are since it robs us of the games we should be seeing. But if you think about a team going to the Finals 5 years in a row, and take into consideration what the odds are that at least 1 of those years will be affected by injury, the percentages are actually quite significant. If those runs occurred during split years or a few years apart, the odds get better for avoiding a title run derailed by injury/injuries.

So Warriors actually did quite well considering. And don't forget, had Zaza just fell a little harder. Or had Javale McGee just go full ret@rd a little more than he did, we could have seen 1 or both of our other title runs derailed as well. That's why, in some ways, I feel this upcoming season, if we make it to the post season or not, is going to be good for the Warriors mentally and physically. How many title runs can the team go for without a break until they're just running on fumes? It definitely takes a toll on their bodies.

The team learned not to go hard in the regular season after 2016. That may have resulted in 2 championships, of course with the addition of Durant. Maybe now they learn that a break, if the season folds that way, might not be so bad for the second phase of their dynasty.

[Sleepy51]

I won’t say we were lucky as far as injuries, we’ve had a limping Steph, a concussed Klay and Barnes and a host of other injuries like every other team playoffs after playoffs.

Where they were “lucky” was that overall, this team went straight up from bad to decent to champ without the “heartbreaks” that most teams go through on the way up the ladder.

This year was their heartbreak and they will grow from it. The Achilles heel for this team has been their dependence on having fun. Steph managing his energy with flashy plays and posing and taunting. Draymond’s spiraling negativity when things don’t go his way. The bench’s lack of consistency when starters struggled and the overall regular season malaise and loss of focus all those things come from taking the environment of abundance for granted. This year’s heartbreak will harden them. They will learn that being the best and dominant and keeping you boot on the other guy’s throat really isn’t about “fun.” Steph, Klay, Dray and KD all have demonstrated killer instinct, but haven’t really maintained an environment of killing or being killed. Even in the leg 73 win season the atmosphere of dominance was more about “how soon can we check out and rest” rather than a pathological NEED to destroy the opponent.

This brutal experience and all that was sacrificed in failure will teach them and they will mature and get that hard edge that men who have lost things of value carry. That edge will serve them well in the future. Steph Curry playing with Jordan's overt hostility to ever losing again will be a sight to behold. Draymond playing with a chip on his shoulder that is no longer personal, but now purely competitive will be flat out dangerous.

I can’t wait to see these guys play as MEN next year. The league has no idea what they are in for.

[Mylie10]

I also think this season will really have the veterans focusing on improving the young guys and helping the to become pros as quickly as possible.

They realize how fragile this all is, and having younger guys being able to step in and step up is what keeps great teams great.

So this season Coming up, I'm really looking forward to all of the Dynamics and hopeing they find some gems. Some keepers. Some guys who can help you win. Some guys who aren't afraid of the moment......because our main core players have proven time and again that they can rise to an occasion. They just need some younger players to jump on that train.

[Coxy]

Every title team has to have some good injury luck, but every title team has also seen rotten luck for other teams as well.

[KevinMcreynolds]

These weren’t “injuries are part of the game” injuries. You could go an entire season and not have two injuries this bad ACROSS THE ENTIRE NBA. We had two in three days on just our team. Go to 17-18, you had Porzingus and Cousins. That’s it. For the entire season. So **** this we we’re lucky bull**** (yes, I’m still salty )

[Flash Falcon X]

The team learned not to go hard in the regular season after 2016.

They didn't lose in 2016 because they "went hard."

There's always this misconception that the Warriors got injured in the Playoffs because they worked so hard to get 73 wins in the regular season.

First off, Steph Curry injured his knee (MCL) due to a wet spot on the floor in Houston. It was a freak accident. Yeah, he rushed himself back but the initial injury was a freak one to begin with. He had a great game @ Portland in his return and a great series in the WCF against OKC, but once the Finals came around the knee injury caught up to him, which is why he had to miss the 2016 Olympics to further rehab.

Moreover, Draymond's suspension in Game 5 and then Andrew Bogut having a freak injury and missing both Game 6 and Game 7--forcing the team to play Festus Ezeli more minutes in Game 7--made a huge impact in the Cavs' favor.

If anything, the Warriors somehow won those 73 games pretty effortlessly. They started off hot going 24-0 to start the season and then rode the momentum the rest of the year. They had a lot of games where they didn't try, either, as you can see Steph Curry barely played in 4th quarters due to blowouts. In fact, that season Steph averaged the fewest minutes per game for any scoring champ in NBA history. Also majority of the Warriors losses that season were against non-Playoff teams because the Warriors didn't try at times and caught bad teams playing 200% harder against them.

Other than that, I do agree the Warriors did well the past 5 years. People love to nitpick and make asterisks for each year the Warriors won but you can literally do that with any championship team. Every single championship team in NBA history has had some luck on their path to the trophy but the Warriors run is more magnified.

Also, for this season more people are willing to accept Toronto's championship only because it was against the Warriors who people wanted to see dethroned for so long. If it was the Warriors beating a team who was without a 35ppg efficient scorer and a hobbled 20+ppg scorer and elite perimeter defender probably 90% of people would discredit their run. But since it's the Warriors on the losing end, those 90% are celebrating.

[Mylie10]

Part or the reason we motor boated the league that year was because the rest or the league hadn't fully caught up to our style of play yet.

[Outside]

Part or the reason we motor boated the league that year was because the rest or the league hadn't fully caught up to our style of play yet.

On both ends of the court. People forget, but the Warriors changed the league both offensively and defensively -- offensively with the prevalence of the three, and defensively with using like-sized players and switching everything.

[cpower]

no we are not lucky, we have been the best teams for the last 5 years and only won 3 out 5..
it's like you are the best student in the class but only got a C on your exam..you call that lucky?

[killmongrel]

no we are not lucky, we have been the best teams for the last 5 years and only won 3 out 5..
it's like you are the best student in the class but only got a C on your exam..you call that lucky?

Using your analogy, that means everybody else in that class got an F.

[Mr Loggins]

no we are not lucky, we have been the best teams for the last 5 years and only won 3 out 5..
it's like you are the best student in the class but only got a C on your exam..you call that lucky?

eh, pretty lucky to have that sequence of events happen that landed KD, or could very well be less than 3 titles