Curry-less Warriors have their season ended at the hands of the Timberwolves
We just lost to Rudy Gobert?!!?
Deep, prolonged sigh
So that's how it ends. Not with Steph Curry raining threes from the logo, not with a championship parade down Market Street, but with our generational superstar watching helplessly from the bench with a sad scowl as the Timberwolves send us packing.
Minnesota 4, Warriors 1. A series that felt over the moment Steph grabbed that hamstring in Game 1.
Let's be honest — we've been spoiled for a decade. Four championships. The greatest shooter who ever lived. A dynasty that rewrote basketball. But this one stings differently because time is the one opponent even Steph Curry can't beat with a stepback.
This Warriors campaign was like a movie with an identity crisis. Act One gave us hope — fluid offense and Steph doing Steph things. We looked like contenders, and the vibes were immaculate.
Act Two? Pure basketball misery. The midseason doldrums hit harder than a Draymond suspension. The offense stagnated like Bay Area traffic at 5 PM. The defense leaked more than my apartment ceiling during February rainstorms. We were mediocre, which for Warriors fans post-2014 feels like basketball purgatory.
Then came Act Three — Jimmy Butler arriving like a basketball mercenary, bringing his Miami Heat culture, endless scowls, and defensive intensity that reminded this team what it meant to compete. The Warriors rallied, made the playoffs, and for a brief moment, fans allowed themselves to dream again.
Until Steph's hamstring decided, "Nah, I'm good."
Here's the thing about Steph: he makes everything possible and pappers over every roster flaw with his gravity and wizardry. With him, we're contenders. Without him, we're the Sacramento Kings with better branding.
Watching the games against Minnesota was a stark reminder of just how much Curry means. As Steve Kerr put it after losing Game 5, "I don't want to take anything away from what Minnesota just accomplished," before adding, "No sense in even talking about Steph." Translation: Without Steph, we never had a chance.
At 37 years old next season, the clock is ticking louder than ever. Each season becomes more precious, each injury more concerning, each roster decision more crucial. The Warriors are in the unenviable position of trying to maximize Curry's remaining prime while also preparing for the inevitable future without him.
The Warriors' front office faces the ultimate test: keep Jonathan Kuminga and try to develop him into the next franchise cornerstone, or flip him for pieces that help maximize Curry's championship window before it slams shut.
Let's talk about Jimmy. The midseason trade that brought him to the Bay was a swing-for-the-fences move that showed the front office wasn't ready to waste another Curry season. Butler brought toughness, scoring, and a desperately needed edge to a team that sometimes plays basketball like they're attending a poetry reading.
The problem? Butler will be 36 next season. The Warriors' timeline is closing rapidly with their aging stars. Curry at 37, Butler at 36 — they're basketball senior citizens in a league dominated by twentysomethings with fresh legs and limitless energy.
As a franchise, the Warriors are stuck in basketball purgatory — too good to rebuild with Curry still playing at an MVP level, but not quite good enough to guarantee championships anymore.
Meanwhile, the rumor mill never stops. There's already chatter about "realistic Giannis Antetokounmpo trade scenarios" making the rounds. Because apparently, having had Kevin Durant wasn't enough — Warriors fans now expect every superstar to eventually don the blue and gold.
But the harsh reality is this: The Warriors are running out of time with their aging core. Brandin Podziemski looks promising. Kuminga showed flashes. But neither is ready to be the heir to Curry's throne.
For now, we're left with memories of what was and anxiety about what's to come. Another offseason of speculation, trade rumors, and hopeful thinking. Another year of Curry's prime hanging in the balance.
Dub Nation will be back — we always are. But as we close the book on this season, it's hard not to wonder how many more chapters remain in the Curry era of Warriors basketball.
And that, more than any playoff loss, is what truly hurts. I’m still processing this, what are you thoughts?
I am thinking this off-season to
1. Interview Perks re cap and transaction stuff
2. Interview Marc Campbell, NBA shooting coach, about player development.
3. Do my usual Draft Tournament, though with less enthusiasm since I am not crazy about this class and I also think it very likely GSW will trade the pick.
Are there any questions you want me to ask either interviewee?
My thoughts are jumbled. But here are some things I think I think...
Championship level basketball is a young man's game. Remember last year all the talk about the changing of the guard when Steph, KD, Lebron etc went out in or before the first round? Then look at the teams left now. The stars are all in their prime and their supporting casts generally the same.
I fully expect OKC, a 68-win regular season team, to win tonight and probably end up being the champion. We'll have had new Finals teams almost every year since the height of the Cavs-Warriors rivalry.
And yet, and yet. I feel like Steph and the Warriors are the last golden oldies standing. They had a chance this year, they really did. Close the Rockets out in 5? They'd have been odds on favourite for a shorter series against the Wolves and then have had the rest advantage against the brutal side of the bracket. Even with Steph's hammy if they'd pulled out Game 3 I think they'd have won this series. The Thunder would probably be favoured, but I'd never bet against Steph and Jimmy.
And yet. Steph is going to be 38. Jimmy and Draymond 36. The chances of getting more than 60 games out of any of those three next year feel lower than 50%. So they might be scrapping again to stay out of the play-in and burn themselves up a little bit. And even if they do play 70 games and secure a higher seed they might be knackered by the time they get there.
And yet. The skill level and toughness and experience is still all there. So if they can get there relatively intact, with home court for a round or two, it's not impossible.
Tim Duncan was 38 when he won his last ring. Manu was 37. It is possible.
What they need is durable two-way players in the middle of the roster. Honestly, Andrew Wiggins would be perfect. He'll play all 82, be a stable solid presence, fix the perimeter defense so Jimmy and Dray and gamble and create havoc, critically hit open 3s, be able to attack, and once in a while go absolutely HAM. Sign me up for a JK sign-and-trade...
They need Podz and Moody to take the next step.
They do need a regular season big. Not sure who, but someone who can keep the minutes off Dray. Maybe Post can get in the weight room and be a little stronger.
They could do with a healthy Melton return.
But most of all what I want for these last couple of Steph's window is joy. We lost that after Draymond's punch and then his ridiculous antics last season. We were dead in the water for much of this year. But we got that back after the trade deadline. The Jimmy Warriors were fun. Tough, entertaining, a different energy.
However this ends, let's go out playing with Joy. Steph deserves nothing less than that.