Golden State Warriors: 5 keys to repeating in 2017-18

1. Keep the fun atmosphere

NBA super-teams tend to become the villains right out of the gate. LeBron James and the Heat didn’t take the court before they were the most hated team in the league. That goes for most star-studded rosters, from James’ most recent super-team in Cleveland, to the attempted Lakers contender in 2012 and many others.

The Golden State Warriors avoided the villain status longer than most, in part because of their unexpected rise to the role of favorite. But they also caught the nation’s affection for their fast, egalitarian offense that moved the ball and seemed to play the game with a sense of freedom.

Curry and company have fun out on the basketball court. They celebrate each other’s success, ruthlessly tease each other when someone commits a blunder, and crack smiles whenever possible. The positive energy seems to be a part of their success as well.

Another season into their reign as the league’s best team, the swing of public opinion is more and more towards hating the Warriors — or at least their impact on league-wide parity. Cast as the villains, the Warriors will need to be intentional about keeping the atmosphere light and the on-court play loose.

Next: 30 reasons to be excited for the 2017-18 NBA season

Setting aside the prospect of catastrophic injury, the Warriors are their own greatest enemy. No team out there can knock off the Dubs when they are playing at their best. The chance for defeat only happens if they lose the spirit of what they have created over the past three years. Otherwise, this team will not only contend, but win another title come June.