Older dynasties are seen as legendary because we see them as showings of dominance by all-time greats of the sport. These dynasties include Jordan and the Bulls, Tom Brady and the Patriots, Kobe and Shaq, and many more. Imagine if you watched the NBA in the late 50’s and 60’s. After seeing Bill Russell win two championships, you might realize he is one of the greatest players ever, but after seeing him win five more times, you may not want to watch the Celtics or even the NBA anymore. Younger fans have never experienced substantial dynasties that dominate over 4-6-year periods, but for some NBA fans, they have.
The Golden State Warriors were a franchise only known for having Wilt Chamberlain in the 1960s; for about 50 years, the team was not seen as remotely dominant, even when they had some good years. Finally, when the team drafted Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green in consecutive years and then signed head coach Steve Kerr, their time had come. On the other side of the country, Lebron James was back home in Cleveland and had a superstar cast in Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Kevin Love. It was time for “The King” to regain his crown.
For four years in a row, the Warriors went against the Cavaliers, and for three of those years, the Warriors won easily. What I forgot to mention was the addition of MVP Kevin Durant and other key pieces to the Warriors in 2016. I also forgot to mention that Klay Thompson was one of the best shooters in the league and still holds the record for most three-point shots in a single game. And of course, how could I forget the only unanimous MVP in NBA history, Stephen Curry? The only year the Warriors lost was in 2016, when Lebron James and the Cavaliers completed a miraculous and legendary comeback from being down three games to one in the championship series. The dynasty seemed to have ended in 2019, when 2-time defensive player of the year Kawhi Leonard ended the fun and helped the Toronto Raptors win their first title in franchise history.
But the dynasty did not stop there; in 2022, Curry and the Warriors showed they had one last trick up their sleeve when they won the finals by defeating the Boston Celtics in six games. The Boston Celtics did not take this lightly, as for the next two years the team built up one of the most efficient offenses in NBA history, taking the league by storm and winning the championship easily.
There is room for rules to be put in place to help level the playing field. The NBA could restructure the salary cap and the restricted free agent rules to make it harder for super teams to form. The NCAA does a good job at preventing this by having a bracket with the top and bottom teams. This is obviously a stretch for the NBA, but the league has tried to replicate this concept with the addition of the play-in tournament in 2022. Of course, dynasties are just a part of sports as a whole. Some teams get lucky, some teams are smart, and some players are just that good.
Photo Credits: DevianArt
Paris Morris- DeLaSalle- DMSF Class of 2028