Golden State Warriors: 5 takeaways from the 2018-19 NBA season

While the end results weren’t expected, there is much to take away from the 2018-19 season for the Golden State Warriors.

The 2018-19 season was supposed to end for the Golden State Warriors as it had in three of the previous four campaigns. Other teams had made changes — some drastic and others subtle — in an attempt to dethrone the kings of the NBA. Most still viewed the championship as the Dubs’ to lose.

During the trials and tribulations of the regular season, Golden State was tested in ways never before experienced. An early-season squabble between two of its leaders brought chaos into an already delicate locker room ecosystem. The pressure stemming from a chase of history, coupled with the inevitable physical and psychological toll, was a challenge that demanded attention throughout.

Come postseason time, things didn’t get any easier. An opening round surprise forced the Warriors to exert more energy than they’d like. It was in the conference semis where the NBA would see the first cracks clearly viewed as the beginning of the end.

As they attempted to win their third consecutive championship, the Dubs were met with a constant stream of gut punches that hampered them at every turn of the Finals. It took a tremendous all-around effort from the Toronto Raptors just to eke out a title-clinching, four-point victory in Game 6.

For years, Golden State has rested easy during the summer knowing full well the strength of its powers in comparison to the rest of the league. With free agency approaching and rehab schedules to be ironed out, nothing is guaranteed out in the Bay Area. For the first time during this era, the inevitability is gone, replaced with questions and concerns that will set the course for the future of this franchise. Here are five takeaways from the 2018-19 campaign.