Revenge is sweet

It’s a glorious time to be a Warriors fan. The Dubs were crowned champs of the NBA, KD got what he came for and won Finals MVP, and LeBron continues to have a losing record in the Finals (3-5).

A large dose of revenge is just what the doctor ordered, and it feels just as sweet as I imagined.

For anyone who is even relatively interested in the Warriors, 2016 stung. We were unstoppable until a three-game meltdown of historic proportions which was not the fairy tale ending to the best season the sport of basketball has ever seen.

Since that day in June of last year, Warriors’ fans have been dying to get another crack at the Cavs.

From a Draymond Green suspension, to untimely injuries, it took a series of unfortunate events for the Cavs to barely squeak by the Dubs in seven last year. Sure, Kyrie and Lebron went next level, but I was feeling pretty damn confident that if we were to face off again with the same squad that there would be a different outcome, which made me just want to skip the foregone conclusion of the regular season and playoffs and cut to the chase of the inevitable Warriors/Cavs Finals rematch.

Sounds a little cocky, but was I right or was I right?

Well, fast forward a couple weeks and the basketball world as we know it got turned upside down. Kevin Durant is taking his talents to the Bay Area.

I hadn’t even considered the option of landing KD and up until late in his free agency most insider reports indicated that the Warriors were a longshot, so I was as surprised as anyone when I heard the news.

I asked myself, “Lord, what have we done to deserve this? Did we just add the second best player in the NBA to the best team ever?”

I was initially worried about the record-breaking roster that we would have to inevitably disassemble, but the Warrior’s front office proved me wrong and in my opinion assembled an even better squad patched together with NBA journeymen, undrafted players, a feisty rookie from UNLV, and an athletic outcast who could never realize his full potential.

Fast forward again to Monday night’s Game 5 of the Finals, and KD is playing straight filthy. He’s matching LeBron step for step on the offensive end and shining with his improved game on the defensive end, prompting all-time great Paul Pierce to call him the new best player in the world.

After a season of Steph Curry and KD trying to figure out how the hell they are supposed to play on the court at the same time, things finally came full circle in the Finals, as the two played the best seamless, team basketball that we had ever seen from them. The fact that Steph and KD have figured it out should worry the rest of the NBA. I wouldn’t be afraid to once again put my money on a Warriors repeat.

When I blogged following the Warriors defeat last year (and successfully predicted their 2017 Finals appearance) the theme of my post was basically ‘keep your chin up, the future is bright’. I would say I hit the nail on the head.

With Klay and Draymond locked into long term deals, Steph soon to sign a long-term deal of his own, and KD reportedly willing to take a discount so we can retain Livingston and Iguodala, we could see this core together for quite some time, which if my calculations are correct, means a few more championships for the boys in the Bay.

Enjoy it while it lasts Dubs fans, because we may not see another squad like this in our lifetimes.

So let me just make my official call for 2018 now. Dubs repeat. Title stays in the Bay.

Pressure is on Steph and KD. Go get it done.

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Photo: Golden State Warriors Facebook