The Golden State Warriors had one of their dynastic championship-winning teams receive much praise in a recent ranking.
Warriors (2017) top last 25 championship teams
CBS Sports’ Brad Botkin appraised every championship team of the last 25 years, placing the 2017 Warriors atop the field, saying:
“This is the most talented team to ever set foot on an NBA court, and it’s not debatable. Stephen Curry. Kevin Durant. Klay Thompson. Draymond Green. Andre Iguodala coming off the bench for crying out loud. Just an unbelievable collection of basketball skill operating at the highest levels of team chemistry,” Botkin wrote.
NBA: Finals-Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers
Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Warriors’ elite unit hard to best among top champs
The 2017 Warriors headed the list above the 2001 Lakers, who were ranked No. 2. There were also two other Warriors championship teams that placed in the top five. Nevertheless, the 2017 rendition was their most potent.
The superlatives go on and on. Golden State was the Association’s highest-scoring team (115.9 points per game), doing so at the most efficient rate of 49.5 percent from the field.
Defensively, they outpaced all teams in blocks (6.8 blocks per game), as well as steals (9.6 steals per game), though they failed to contain opponents to below 100 PPG, a barometer of excellence for elite defensive units.
However, what set the 2017 Warriors apart was their harmonious offensive firepower, with Curry (25.3 PPG) not having his output compromised by Durant (25.1 PPG) or Thompson (22.3 PPG). Green’s excellent defense on the weak side as well as the strong side earned him Defensive Player of the Year.
All in all, few teams of the last 25 years could match up with Golden State’s juggernaut. However, other notable teams that match up in potency or had dominant runs of note include the 2013 Miami Heat, 2014 San Antonio Spurs, and 2008 Boston Celtics.