Golden State Warriors: 5 keys to repeating in 2017-18
5. Don’t push for 74 wins
The 2015-16 season saw the defending champion Golden State Warriors reach heights no team was supposed to reach. They began the season 24-0 and ultimately broke the record for most wins in a season, finishing the year with 73. Stephen Curry became the first player to unanimously win MVP, his second in as many years.
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But then injuries, involuntary leg motions, and the greatest player of his generation flared up, and the Warriors lost the NBA Finals in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers. While it’s impossible to draw an exact correlation between their push for 73 wins and their loss, it seems likely that the slight edge in being better rested could have tipped the scale.
Whether the Warriors lost because of their push for 73 wins, or that’s simply the tone of the narrative, they should avoid such a possibility this season. They could certainly expect to reach such a height, as their team is even more talent-packed than last season and deep at every position.
But the Western Conference is tougher than it has been, and the Eastern Conference contenders are loading up as well. There are a number of postseason roadblocks that could rear their head if this team falters. Winning 74 games may not put a strain on this team, but the risk that it might — or the storyline that is might — should be enough to dissuade the Warriors.
This team will be remembered for its titles, not its win totals, if it doesn’t bring home both. The goal is to win championships, and this team should win more than just one more if it gets out of its own way.