Are the Golden State Warriors the greatest team ever?

The 2018-19 Golden State Warriors may have the most loaded roster in the history of the league, but does this mean they are the best team ever assembled?

The Golden State Warriors are shooting for their fourth NBA championship in the last five seasons. At this point, they are already one of the most dominant dynasties in league history. The only thing left to ask is whether they are simply another legendary team or the the best we have ever seen.

Dynasties have always been a thing in the NBA. Magic Johnson‘s Los Angeles Lakers battled Larry Bird‘s Boston Celtics for control of the 1980s. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dominated the 1990s. The dynamic duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant reigned over the early 2000s. Now, the Warriors have taken over the second half of the 2010s.

But what sets Golden State apart from the rest of the competition? Well, let’s take a deeper look into how the Warriors became who they are today. Then we can understand how dominant this team has become.

Golden State began its rise to the top in the 2014-15 NBA season. After the emergence of their superstar point guard, Stephen Curry, the Dubs went on to win their first championship in 40 years.

Next year, Curry and his squad took their game to historic levels. Steph became the first unanimous MVP winner in league history. As a result, the Warriors won an NBA-record 73 regular season games. They were one of the most powerful offenses the game of basketball has ever seen. If it wasn’t for a superhuman performance from LeBron James (and a Game 5 suspension for Draymond Green), the Dubs would have been back-to-back NBA champions.

It was clear that this team was on pace to reach all-time greatness. The core of Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green was extremely promising and more than enough to get this team into the history books.

Then, the Warriors managed to improve even more. In the summer of 2016, Kevin Durant announced he was signing with Golden State. This move would forever shake the landscape of the NBA.

Durant and his new squad wasted no time beginning their reign of terror. They won 67 regular season games and held the best record in the league. The Dubs ran through the entire NBA in the playoffs, losing only one game en route to an NBA championship.

The next season was more of the same. While some key injuries made this season more difficult, the Warriors still won 58 games and finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference. Golden State went on to sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers and win another title.

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At this point, it had already been questioned if these Warriors were the greatest team of all time. The offensive firepower was unprecedented. No team in NBA history could shoot the ball as well as this team. Furthermore, Green had proven to be one of the most versatile defenders in history. This made them equally strong on both sides of the floor.

They seemingly had no weakness. The only possible way to attack them was to pound the ball inside and attack the rim, as the Warriors had no true center. Slowing the game down and forcing the action inside the paint was the best option for opposing teams.

Then, of course, Golden State managed to sign DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins averaged 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game last season, and many viewed him as the best center in the league. The Warriors’ biggest weakness had been replaced with the most elite center in the game.

So, now what? Is there any team in NBA history that could match the Warriors’ offensive prowess while competing with them defensively? If we are looking at this team strictly on paper, the answer is no. The 2018-19 Golden State Warriors, on paper, are the greatest team of all time.

However, we have no idea how these five All-Stars will mesh together. Will Cousins be able to fit in with the already loaded lineup the Dubs are running? Is Thompson going to be happy playing in an even more reduced role? Lastly, is the Achilles injury that Cousins suffered last season enough to derail this team’s chance at a three-peat?

All of these questions will be answered in the upcoming season. How the Warriors respond to these challenges will show if they deserve a spot on top of the throne. Whether Golden State ends the year as champions or not, there is no doubt it is already deep in the conversation for greatest team of all time.