Following Play-In defeat, is the Golden State Warriors dynasty over? | CNN (2024)

Following Play-In defeat, is the Golden State Warriors dynasty over? | CNN (1)

Steph Curry looks frustrated during the Golden State Warriors' defeat to the Sacramento Kings in the Play-In Tournament.

CNN

The Golden State Warriors have personified excellence over the last decade.

Mixing a revolutionary brand of basketball with star players, the Warriors have won four NBA championships since 2015 and established themselves at the top of the league’s food chain.

Apr 16, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) during the second half of a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports Stephen Lew/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters Related article Los Angeles Lakers edge past the New Orleans Pelicans in ‘gritty’ win to punch NBA Playoffs ticket

However, that was then and this is now. The team’s 2023-24 campaign came to a juddering halt on Tuesday night as the Warriors lost 118-94 to the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the Play-In Tournament.

It’s the first season that the Warriors have missed the playoffs when they had their star trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green healthy and available.

It’s been a season filled with highs and lows – from Curry’s everlasting brilliance to Green’s disciplinary struggles – but now Golden State enters an offseason filled with questions.

The Warriors’ stars are arguably in the twilight of their careers, the team’s wage bill is one of the highest in the league and Thompson – after going scoreless in the defeat to the Kings, the first time he’s done so in a game since his rookie season – is entering free agency.

For one of the NBA’s most established franchises, it’s going to be a long few months as the organization wrestles with questions about whether the team can retool around its core of Curry, Green and Thompson for one last hurrah.

‘Roll it back’

Thanks to the combination of Curry and Thompson’s three-point excellence, the defensive and passing brilliance of Green and head coach Steve Kerr’s guidance, the Warriors won four championships and made six trips to the NBA Finals between 2015 and 2022.

It was a period that had NBA fans gripped by Golden State’s protracted battles with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals between 2014 and 2018.

Golden State’s run of success looked to be coming to an end after their Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors in the 2018-19 season as Curry and Thompson sustained injuries and results on the court suffered as a result.

But the Warriors rediscovered their mojo in 2022 as the team enjoyed a magical run back to the top of the mountain and seemingly reasserted themselves as kings of the NBA again.

Following Play-In defeat, is the Golden State Warriors dynasty over? | CNN (3)

Green, Thompson and Curry celebrates the Warriors' 2022 championship victory.

However, Golden State has struggled over the past two campaigns, losing in the Western Conference semifinals to LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers last time out before missing out on the playoffs entirely this season.

Golden State’s latest campaign has been blighted by inconsistencies and controversies.

One of the team’s traditional stalwarts, Green has singlehandedly presented numerous issues: there have been battles with ejections, confrontations with opposition players and subsequently missing significant time to suspension due to his disciplinary record.

Thompson has had an up-and-down year, and one of the team’s more promising young players, Jonathan Kuminga, publicly criticized his lack of playing time during the season; however, the latter did have a positive effect in the second half of the season with the 21-year-old blossoming into a proficient NBA player.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the second half of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena on March 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images Related article LeBron James headlines Team USA’s 2024 Paris Olympics men’s basketball squad

Curry, Green and Thompson are all in their mid-30s, which means there is sizeable age gap to the Warriors’ youth movement: forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and guard Brandin Podziemski have both delivered promising rookie performances this year.

But a not insignificant salary cap means the Warriors sit way over the max league cap and leaves general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. with minimal options for the tough task of renewing the franchise for perhaps one final title push with Curry still performing at a high level.

“I would say I believe they can,” Kerr answered when asked about the possibility on another championship run led by Thompson, Green and Curry.

“These guys are all still really damn good players, so hopefully, we can resign Klay. Draymond and Steph are under contract, so we’re going to roll it back next year.”

In his post-game press conference after the Kings loss, Curry hinted at returning with the same core while also suggesting the squad needed to make improvements to properly challenge once again.

“We obviously understand the league has changed, we’re getting deeper into our careers and we have to continue to evolve and make the necessary adjustments to win games,” Curry told reporters.

“But we put a lot of time into it. I think I worked harder than I ever have at being prepared for a season and trying to perform at the level that I expect, and those two guys have been through it with me.

“At the end of the day, I just want to win. I know that’s fully possible. I know in the summer that there is going to be a lot of conversations and trying to set up ourselves to win, whatever that means. I hope that’s the outcome.”

Following Play-In defeat, is the Golden State Warriors dynasty over? | CNN (5)

Curry scored 22 points in the loss to the Kings.

The Klay Thompson question

Ever since being drafted out of Washington State by the Warriors with the 11th pick in the 2011 draft, Thompson has combined with Curry – dubbed by many as ‘the Splash Brothers’ – to form an unstoppable threat from deep which has delivered dramatic success to the Bay Area.

Thompson’s 2,481 made three-pointers in the regular season are the sixth-most in NBA history and the 501 he has made in the playoffs are more than anyone other than Curry.

Thompson has provided countless memorable moments during that run, from his 37-point quarter in 2015 against the Kings, his 60-point game against the Indiana Pacers in just 29 minutes or earning himself the moniker ‘Game 6 Klay’ with his repeated heroics in the sixth game of various playoff series.

However, injuries have seemingly caught up with the 34-year-old Thompson. He suffered back-to-back debilitating injuries – first to his knee, then to his Achilles – in successive years which seemingly affected his dynamism on the court.

This season, he was reduced to coming off the bench before eventually being restored to the starting lineup.

Following Play-In defeat, is the Golden State Warriors dynasty over? | CNN (6)

Thompson went scoreless during the loss to the Kings.

His scoreless performance in the Play-In Tournament is the final game of his five-year contract worth nearly $190 million as he now enters free agency with questions looming over where he will play next season.

Will the Warriors bring him back at a cut-price deal allowing Thompson to finish his career as a one-franchise player, or will the 34-year-old turn to new pastures for a bigger final payday?

What’s certain is that after Thompson’s uncharacteristically miserly offensive performance against the Kings, Kerr wants him back with his team next season.

“We need Klay back. I know he had a tough night tonight,” Kerr told reporters. “I know I speak for everyone in the organization, we want him back. Obviously, there’s business at hand and that has to be addressed … But what Klay has meant to this franchise, as good as he is, we definitely want him back.”

Following Play-In defeat, is the Golden State Warriors dynasty over? | CNN (2024)

FAQs

When did the Warriors dynasty end? ›

The dynasty died when Thompson sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in Game 6 of the NBA Finals – which was the Warriors' final game at Oracle Arena. He has since been good but not quite been the same, and the same applies to the Warriors.

Did the Golden State Warriors make it to the playoffs? ›

The Warriors were eliminated from playoff contention in their 118-94 loss to the Kings in Sacramento on Tuesday. The Dubs finished the season as the winningest 10th seed in NBA history but continued a trend of no 10th-seeded team advancing to the playoffs from the Play-In.

Did the Warriors make the playoffs in 2024? ›

The Golden State Warriors have been eliminated from the 2024 Play-In Tournament & Playoff contention.

Did Golden State lose a 3 1 lead? ›

On June 19, 2016, Golden State lost Game 7, 93–89, becoming the first team in NBA history to squander a 3–1 lead in the NBA Finals. They also became the first team in NBA history to overcome a 1–3 deficit and lose a 3–1 lead in the same playoffs.

When did the dynasty end? ›

How did the last dynasty end? ›

China's position in the world declined and internal rebellions overthrew the Qing dynasty government in 1911. China's last emperor abdicated in early 1912, ushering in a republican China.

What place are the Warriors in right now? ›

WESTERN CONFERENCE
WESTERN CONFERENCEPCT
10Warriors.561
11Rockets.500
12Jazz.378
13Grizzlies.329
11 more rows

How does the play-in tournament work? ›

The format is similar to the first two rounds of the Page–McIntyre system for a four-team playoff. The 9th place team hosts the 10th place team, with the loser being eliminated. The 7th place team hosts the 8th place team in the double-chance game, with the winner advancing as the 7-seed.

When was the last Dynasty Warriors? ›

Dynasty Warriors
First releaseDynasty Warriors February 28, 1997
Latest releaseDynasty Warriors 9: Empires December 23, 2021
Parent seriesRomance of the Three Kingdoms
5 more rows

When did the 12th dynasty end? ›

1802 BC

When did the original dynasty end? ›

Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981, to May 11, 1989. The series, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, revolves around the Carringtons, a wealthy family residing in Denver.

When did the 3rd dynasty end? ›

Dynasty 3 (ca. 2675 - 2625 B.C.E.) Dynasty 5 (ca. 2500 - 2350 B.C.E.)

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Greg Kuvalis

Last Updated:

Views: 6459

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Greg Kuvalis

Birthday: 1996-12-20

Address: 53157 Trantow Inlet, Townemouth, FL 92564-0267

Phone: +68218650356656

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Knitting, Amateur radio, Skiing, Running, Mountain biking, Slacklining, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Greg Kuvalis, I am a witty, spotless, beautiful, charming, delightful, thankful, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.