As the buzzer sounded on at Golden 1 Center on the night of April 16, the scoreboard read 118-94 in favor of the Sacramento Kings. This game marked the end of a frustrating season for the once-great Golden State Warriors, and maybe even the end of their dynasty.
Nes Emeneke ’25 said, “I think it (the dynasty) is over because the main parts of the dynasty like Klay and Green have been underperforming for a minute now and they are failing to include the young players in the rotation, which I think is the main part of building a dynasty.”
Over the last eight years, the Warriors have claimed four championships in six tries; one of the best runs in NBA history. However, their season ended shorter than expected, with their overall record being 46 wins and 36 losses, which saw the team finishing in 10th place in the Western Conference and claiming the last Play-In Game berth.
With this 46-36 record, the Warriors secured their position as the winningest 10th seed in NBA history, surpassing the previous record set by the 2001 Seattle Supersonics. In a season characterized by resilience and determination with lots of struggle along the way, the Warriors aimed to stay alive in a competitive league.
Despite the challenging Western Conference competition, they improved over the previous season, securing a two-win increase. Their performance on the road was a definitive characteristic that they improved from only 11 wins on the road last season, to a respective 25 wins on the road this season.
With a newfound sense of chemistry, the Warriors established themselves as one of the league’s top traveling teams. Key to their success were the contributions of seasoned veterans alongside emerging talents.
Stephen Curry’s performances in clutch situations and leading the league in various statistical categories added to his already significant role in the team. Curry’s proficiency beyond the arc and his key role in close games solidified his candidacy for the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award.
Furthermore, the Warriors’ ability to excel despite their average height and leading the league in rebounding demonstrated their improvement in the aspects of teamwork and tenacity.
Rising star Jonathan Kuminga showcased his versatility, and skill set, contributing to the team’s success in different aspects of the game.
Rookie Brandin Podziemski’s selfless play and leading the league in drawn charges showed a building culture of dedication of sacrifice for the greater good of the team. This was a characteristic that the team lacked last year, which led to their defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs.
While they improved in a lot of key areas, the team still struggled to get away from problems that led to the team’s lack of success last year.
The main issue from this season seemed to be Draymond Green’s temper issues. He was suspended twice for a total of 17 games this season in which the Warriors had a 6-11 record. This was a clear issue that led to some psychological issues for the team and was a main contributor to a lack of will to play from the players early on in the season.
Even with this disappointing end to the season, the Warriors still have faith that they can add more depth to the roster in the offseason and make another run at an NBA championship.
After the loss to the Kings, Warriors star guard Stephen Curry reportedly told Draymond Green, “We ain’t done yet.”
Although a lot may not be clear, what is clear is that the Warriors front office knows that with Stephen Curry this team will always have a shot at an NBA championship, but they also recognize that changes need to be made.
Avishan Peer, Spanish teacher said, “I think that we have good enough players and team spirit to get it back next year.”
In the upcoming offseason, they will look to add more depth at the guard position to assist Curry with shooting skills and to add a player who can defend the perimeter well.
Issac Martin ’26 believes the Warriors can still perform well next year saying, “Oh heck yeah . . . Warriors all the way . . . they can come back.”
While unfortunately, this plan may see letting Klay Thompson and Chris Paul sign with other teams, the Warriors will attack with the will to capitalize on the greatness of Stephen Curry. The front office will hope to construct one last championship caliber team by targeting the upcoming talent available in free agency to add to the Warriors before Curry, Green, and Thompson retire or go to another team.
