NBA Halloween: Playing trick-or-treat with each team’s early season trend

Golden State Warriors

The season is already over: Treat

This was true before Stephen Curry unfortunately broke his left hand Wednesday night, and it’s especially apparent now: The Golden State Warriors are destined for the lottery, and should spend the rest of the season following in the footsteps of the 1996-97 San Antonio Spurs. That team wisely didn’t rush David Robinson back from injury, won 20 games and wound up winning the Tim Duncan Sweepstakes with the No. 1 overall pick.

No such transcendent talent awaits in this year’s draft, but the Dubs already looked like a non-playoff team with the two-time MVP on the court. With Curry out for the foreseeable future, Klay Thompson not back until after the All-Star break (at the earliest) and Draymond Green exiting Wednesday’s game with a back injury, it’s time the Warriors accepted their dynasty is on a year-long sabbatical.

Honestly, it might be for the best. Let the Splash Brothers heal up, help D’Angelo Russell‘s trade stock soar, give the young guys like Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole and Jacob Evans plenty of run, and strike back in 2020 with a potential top-five pick in tow. Because even without the injuries, the Dubs ranked dead last in defensive rating and had been throttled by 19 against the LA Clippers on opening night, thwacked by 28 against the Oklahoma City Thunder and were down 72-46 at halftime against the Phoenix Suns. Here’s hoping for better health luck next year.