"The Warriors, you may recall, won the 2015 NBA championship by rising from decades of 33-49 seasons to become an enduring national brand under the auspices of W. Stephen Curry. They are a national brand today because of that year and the three championships that followed in 2017, 2018, and 2022. They set a record for best winning postseason percentage by going 16-1 in the 2017 playoffs, and they remain a national brand by trying to win another one with their current Jurassic Park-style roster."
"But it is that 2016 team that brands them, unfairly but persistently. You remember it: that team won their first 24 games en route to a league record 73 wins, then blew a 3-1 series lead in the Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In Game 7, the Cavs made one of their last nine shots and the Warriors made none."
The Detroit Pistons have emerged as a genuine power in the Eastern Conference, propelled by Jalen Duren's athleticism and surprising team improvements. The Pistons are closer to elite than expected but still occupy a narrow tier of competitive yet not dominant teams. The Oklahoma City Thunder are positioned to replicate the 2016 Golden State Warriors' blend of overwhelming regular-season success and complicated postseason legacy. The Warriors rose from decades of losing to multiple championships, with 2016's 73-win regular season and Finals collapse reshaping perceptions about the value and risks of dominating the regular season.
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