There is nothing left of the Warriors. Now, the last great NBA dynasty has disintegrated. The team that wowed the NBA with three championships in four years (2015, 2017 and 2018) and even managed to add one more in 2022 was eliminated by the Suns after a resounding 111-96 defeat in the play-in. Phoenix earned the last playoff spot in the West, which will see them face the defending champions and favorites Thunder. Golden State, meanwhile, is going home after shutting up shop
With 1:06 left and the game already decided, Steve Kerr staged the end. He gathered Stephen Curry, the ideological leader of an era, and Draymond Green, his main acolyte, made a small circle, put a hand on each of their backs and addressed them. After his speech, he hugged them and left. Then the two players also hugged each other. Since the 14-15 season, the team’s record with the three has been 558-217, a magnificent 72% winning percentage.
The coach acknowledged that nothing is eternaland that new blood is needed:”I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching, but I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date. I may move on. I may not. My plan is to take a week or two, sit down with Joe [Lacob, franchise owner] and Mike [Dunleavy Jr., general manager]. We’ll come to a collaborative decision on what’s next.”
Curry is 38 years old and has one more year left on his contract for $62.5 million. Injured Jimmy Butler (36) has one year left on his contract for $56.8 million. Green (36) and Al Horford (39) both have player options for next season. Kristaps Porzingis, eternally plagued by physical problems, is finished. Some of them may have already played their last games with the Warriors, although it would be hard to see Curry in another jersey. Since his NBA debut in 2009, he has only worn one throughout his career.
With little choice
In a final to reach the last playoff spot, the Suns gave the Warriors little chance to extend their legend a little longer. The first quarter marked the game, which started 13-2 with Golden State losing four balls. At the first break the score was already 33-15 with the visitors scoring only one of their nine three-pointers. Despite the exhaustion from the previous victory against the Clippers, the visitors were able to cut back to 50-45 at halftimeThe Warriors came within 85-78 with 9:30 left in the game, but a 7-0 run ended their hopes. They had no response. As if it were a tribute to him, Jalen Green scored 36 points in Curry style, with 8/14 in three-pointers. Devin Booker added another 20 and Jordan Goodwin finished with 19+9 to help the Suns to victory, which crosses the Suns with the Thunder. The series will start on Sunday.
Curry, in his fifth game back from injury, scored 17 points on a poor 4/16 shooting. The Suns’ defense barely let him breathe and he, without the competitive rhythm necessary for such a game, could do little more. Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 23 points and Porzingis was able to play only 15 minutes due to ankle discomfort from the previous game.
When the game resumed after Kerr’s emotional embrace of Curry and Green, the latter was ejected along with Devin Booker. If it was the power forward’s last game with the Warriors, it could not have had a more recognizable ending for him.
Read the full article here
