NBA superstar Stephen Curry reflects on Kevin Durant joining the Warriors and establishing a dynasty.
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The recent fall-out of the Big 3 in Brooklyn raised a few questions regarding the concept of super teams. Though many believe assembling the best talents on a roster is a sure shot to success, the recent debacle of the Nets Big 3 gives us a different angle to this theory.
Super teams are not an ancient concept in the NBA. It all began in Boston, with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen joining forces to win a championship in 2008. Unfortunately, LeBron James gets most of the flak for ruining the league by pairing up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.
However, nobody beats the Warriors front office for constructing one of the greatest NBA teams in the 2016-17 season. The arrival of Kevin Durant to the 73-9 Dubs made them an unstoppable force, making three consecutive finals trips and winning two of those.
Though super-teams might sound like a top formula to win a championship, the truth is further from it. Team chemistry and sacrifice are the pillars of this format, which might not be easy for every superstar to imbibe. The Nets are the most recent example of this.
Stephen Curry believes Kevin Durant joining the Warriors didn’t guarantee them a ring.
When KD decided to head to the Bay Area, hoop fans felt it was unfair for the league. The Warriors were coming off the most successful regular season in NBA history and were one possession away from winning the championship in 2016.
Thus with Durant joining them, they became a juggernaut. Though it may sound like an instant recipe for success, it is not as easy as it may sound. Managing egos, sacrifice, and looking out for one other are crucial components to ensure the larger picture in mind.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, two-time MVP Stephen Curry spoke about how getting KD on board didn’t guarantee a championship.
“Two championships, an unfortunate ending with injuries and not getting it done in the ’19 Finals, but it was some of the best basketball that I think the world has ever seen and the ability to put that much talent and experience together and make it work — there was no guarantee that it was going to work and we figured it out.”
“It was an amazing run and one that, when it’s all said and done, we will remember. The heights that we accomplished and achieved and that was an amazing three years of a moment in time.”
Via: NBC Sports
The unfortunate injury to Durant and Klay Thompson in the 2019 NBA Finals prevented the Dubs from a 3-peat. KD would then sign with the Nets as a free agent in the summer of 2019 alongside Kyrie Irving, with James Harden coming on board later.
Unlike the Warriors, the Nets couldn’t achieve the success expected from them. Injuries and COVID protocols caused a storm of controversies in the organization. The Nets Big 3 played a mere sixteen games together, with Harden wanting out after one and a half seasons.
As discussed earlier, sacrifice and chemistry are crucial no matter how strong a team is. D-Wade took a backseat for LeBron in Miami, something Curry did as well when KD arrived in the Bay Area.
