Klay Thompson had another strong series-clinching performance in the Warriors’ Game 5 win over the Mavericks, but Thompson joked that he doesn’t need another nickname.
The Warriors are four wins away from their fourth NBA championship in eight years.
If they do indeed defeat either the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat, they could make some serious sports history.
Another title would make the Warriors the second team in NBA, NFL, MLB and MLB history to go from champions to having the worst record and back to champions in a five-year span.
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The only other team in any of the four major American professional sports leagues to do that was the Detroit Lions, who were champs in 1953, had the worst record in 1955 and then became champs again in 1957.
The Warriors are feeling good about their chances in the NBA Finals, but they know the struggle of what it takes to get there.
The creation of their dynasty in 2014 led to five consecutive Finals appearances and three titles during that span. The Warriors were on top of the world -- until they weren’t.
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Kevin Durant moved to the opposite coast and joined the Brooklyn Nets in a sign-and-trade, Klay Thompson tore his ACL and the Warriors were transitioning to a new home in San Francisco.
Things changed, and it reflected over the next two years for the Warriors.
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Golden State had the worst record in the league (15-50) during the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2019-2020 season. The following season, they didn’t finish last but missed the playoffs for the second straight season.
At the start of this season, no one really expected them to be great, much less Finals-bound, but they’ve shocked the league and continue to silence the doubters during this postseason run.
