NBA: 5 Reasons why Golden State is the best "super team" ever
Although there have been super teams in the past eras of NBA composed of at least three legitimate superstars in their lineups, the super teams of today have been products of instant-title mentality wherein legit superstars are joining fellow superstars for a chance to win an elusive ring.
Started by the Boston Celtics in 2008, when Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen formed a big three with Paul Pierce in Boston, the trend has continued and became a norm in today’s NBA. Although, a few seasons back, Karl Malone had tried to win a title by joining forces with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant when he joined the Lakers as a free-agent. But the unheralded Detroit Pistons were able to thwart that formula leaving Malone without a ring in his retirement.
Also in Los Angeles, another pair of legit superstars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard signed with the Lakers to try to win with Kobe, only to struggle season long barely making the playoffs.
Until the biggest gathering of superstars happened when LeBron James left Cleveland to relocate in Miami with buddies Chris Bosch and Dwyane Wade. Ironically, Dallas Mavericks, a team bannered by one legit superstar Dirk Nowitzki, denied LeBron his first championship ring by winning it all defying all expectations. But the Big Three won back-to-back titles afterwards only to be denied of a third by San Antonio Spurs’ own version of Big Three, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
LeBron would return to Cleveland forming a formidable trio with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, and would win another ring in four consecutive finals appearances. The three losses were dealt by a stronger Super Team, Golden State Warriors, who have managed to form a new dynasty in the NBA winning three titles in the last four seasons.
With all those mentioned successful and not-so-successful super-partnerships, what make the Golden State Warriors a clear cut above the rests?
#5 The coach
A legit winner in his time as an NBA player, Steve Kerr has successfully brought the winning attitude in Golden State the nonconventional way as he took over the coaching reins without any prior head-coaching experience and winning it all right there and then. It can be argued that he merely inherited the fruits of Mark Jackson’s labour but doing it almost every year thereafter ends the argument.
He may have developed a winning formula by perfectly combining his experiences as a teammate to all-time greats such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan and playing under coaching greats Phil Jackson and Greg Popovich. Himself a dependable three-point shooter in his prime, even holding an NBA record for highest three-point percentage in a season at 52.4% until it was broken by Kyle Korver in 2010, he is definitely instrumental in turning the deadly hands of the Splash Brothers, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson as their prime offensive weapon.