13 May 2023 , 17:22
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This might now be the end of the Golden State Warriors dynasty after their elimination from the playoffs.
The Warriors were defeated by the seven seed Los Angeles Lakers, as superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis dominated proceedings, with James seemingly scoring at will while Davis brought down 20 rebounds for the third time in the series.
After winning the NBA championship last season when they were not heavily favoured, the Warriors came into this season as one of the favourites to defend their crown.
However it was not to be this year, with the Warriors relying on the brilliance of Steph Curry a little too much, 12 months on from the all-round effort that underpinned their seventh NBA championship.
Throughout the four titles that the Warriors have won in the last eight seasons, Curry has been the go-to scorer and best player on those teams, but had not been needed to carry the team as he had this season.
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Fellow superstars Klay Thompson and Draymond Green's play declined quite dramatically throughout the season, with both players especially struggling in the Lakers series.
Heading into next season, the Warriors have huge decisions to make - with head coach Steve Kerr admitting that they did not have a worthy team this year.
Kerr told reporters: "To be fair I think this team ultimately maxed out. We were barely in the playoff picture most of this year - this is not a championship team."
Curry agreed, adding: "From training camp to now, it was just the reality we were living in. We were trying to keep things positive and optimistic around what we were trying to accomplish this year - but there's also an understanding that this is not good enough."
The Warriors legendary trio will almost certainly be broken up after 12 yearsWith the Warriors tight on salary cap with their current team, it appears Green will almost certainly leave - being a free agent while heavily linked to join up with James and the Lakers.
As for Thompson, the Warriors gave Jordan Poole a big contract extension - who plays the same role as him, and may look to move on to relieve further salary cap to rebuild their roster.
On the future of the team, Kerr said: "I think it's probably too raw right now for me to think about that. The one thing I will say is that Draymond, Klay and Steph, our core guys, they've got plenty left to offer. There's still plenty left in the tank. I thought they all had great seasons.
"It may not have ended on a high note. But all three guys are still high-level players and I still feel like this team has championship potential. We didn't get there this year. But it's not like this is the end of the rope."