5 reasons we shouldn't award the 2019 NBA title to the Warriors quite yet

5 reasons we shouldn’t award the 2019 NBA title to the Warriors quite yet

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Trophy after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 108-85 to win the 2018 NBA Finals. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 8: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals on June 8, 2018 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Stagnation

Perhaps the biggest opponent the Warriors faced throughout this last season was themselves. There were many games where their lack of effort seemed palpable and they appeared to not really be trying, except for bursts of a few minutes here and there. Their talent level is still so great, though, that those small runs were often enough to win. However, the Warriors did have their worst record of the last four seasons, failing to earn the league’s top record for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

It’s often said that it’s harder to repeat as champions in the NBA than it is to win as champions and the Warriors have shown that both in 2016 and 2018 as those seasons were, in many ways, a rougher journey than their championship runs in 2015 and 2017 had been. It’s not that the Warriors don’t want to win or have lost their ambition; rather, they fail to see much reason to give maximum effort at all times. With this being such a pattern over the last season, it would not be altogether surprising if at one point in the near future, the Warriors realize at a pivotal moment that they stopped caring a little bit longer than they could get away with.

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