Golden State Warriors: 2018-19 NBA season preview
3. Can Golden State bring the same energy?
Winning an NBA championship takes a lot of work. Back-to-back? Even harder. Hoping to make your fifth consecutive trip to the Finals and win your third straight title and fourth in five years? Super difficult.
It was clear last season that the Warriors struggled at times with internal motivation, winning “only” 58 games, the fewest during this four-year run, while trying to keep things interesting over the course of an 82-game season, plus the playoffs.
Even during the Finals, they weren’t as dominant as the year prior, likely signaling both physical and mental exhaustion that can come about after playing into June year after year.
It is kind of wild that an NBA team hasn't gone to five-straight NBA Finals since the '60s Celtics where there were only around 9 teams and we're all just assuming the Warriors are pulling it off in a 30-team league.
— Chase Thomas (@chase__thomas) September 13, 2018
Unfortunately for them, such a challenge doesn’t get easier over time; exactly the opposite, in fact. They’ll have the find new and inventive ways — like coaching themselves — to keep the focus where it needs to be.
Attempting to add DeMarcus Cousins into the system should provide some extra motivation whenever he returns to the court, but until that time, the Warriors will have to get creative in order to build positive habits that can last through the playoffs.