Hardwood Paroxysm Presents: The Warriors are the Best Team Since Sliced Bread
David Ramil (@dramil13) thinks the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors are the best team since last year’s San Antonio Spurs.
How quickly we forget! It was less than a year ago that we witnessed the rebirth (yet again) of the Spurs, transforming basketball into a magical experience predicated on constant ball movement and perfect floor spacing. They buzz-sawed their way through the end of the regular season, were hardly challenged in the Western Conference playoffs and eviscerated the Miami Heat to the extent that they did the unthinkable and sent LeBron James back home to Cleveland.
That Spurs team (much like this year’s Spurs and Hawks teams) were brilliant and exciting to watch. And while there’s no denying that the Warriors have looked like one of the best overall teams in recent memory, it also speaks to our desire to constantly rank and compare our favorite teams.
I have no idea if the Warriors could knock off the 1995-96 Bulls or the “Showtime” era Lakers or if Bill Russell could contain Draymond Green but sometimes I just want to appreciate what’s happening as it’s happening without immediately having to see it on a listicle of the greatest teams in NBA history.
The Warriors have been excellent and, statistically, rank in a superior class over former NBA champs. But the Spurs were pretty good, too, as were the 2013 Miami Heat and so on and so on. We all expect Golden State to make short work of the Cleveland Cavaliers, despite an inspired James proving he’s still the best player in the NBA even if the MVP trophy is currently holding up the blankets in Riley Curry’s living room fort. What if the Cavs somehow find a way to win? Could the Warriors still be considered an all-time great team or would they be exposed as frauds?
More importantly, we’ve got about another week-and-a-half of meaningful basketball left – regardless of who winds up with the trophy or how that team stacks up against the best in NBA history, I’m just going to enjoy watching each game and treasuring each unique moment.