In the NBA, dominance is indicated not just in how many victories a team acquires, but also how far its ideas have spread. In recent years, the Golden State Warriors were able to remake the entire league based on their image. As a result, last season saw many teams imitating the system of Golden State, changing or improving their rosters as a response, or simply doing both in order to be a contender. In fact, the highest levels of basketball professionalism were somewhat styled to a single team.
Even as far as Houston, the Rockets were building a roster that would effectively counter what the Warriors were. In Boston, the Celtics were somewhat urged to fill up their roster with wings. And the other teams even had to adjust in order to really be able to play like the Warriors. Even the teams who had no business trying to play as they do, tried as much as they could.
As a result, Golden State Warriors became a very successful team in the league. Unfortunately, it seems to be that the said success is now over. Whatever the Warriors plan to do in the next season will be different than its old formula.
Even the Warriors’ GM Bob Myers stated, “It’s not going to be what it was… But there’s also an excitement to that. There’s a novelty to that.”
As it is, what is novelty for the Warriors is pretty much a novelty for the league. Due to Kevin Durant’s departure, there has been some kind of shift that changed so many teams. However, it does come from a vacuum that the Warriors are leaving behind.
So, as a result, for the first time in so many years, there is no longer any presumed champion. The West has had such a change as well that there is also no longer any presumed conference finalists. Thus marking the start of a new era.
