The Lakers victory over New Orleans was surprising, but Sacramento pummeling the Golden State Warriors was almost shocking. Depending on who is talking, Sacramento played above their capabilities thanks in large measure to a raucous home crowd and Golden State had a bad night; or, the young Sacramento team beat up on the old Warriors.
So their season is over, and the talk about what changes will be/should be/must be/might be made has already begun. What a din it's going to be for months and months!
In their postgame interviews, Steve Kerr and Draymond were slightly in shock but philosophical, Kerr taking the long view and praising this team for sticking together, while Draymond seemed convinced that the current Warriors could have a better year next year. There's a case to be made for that, in that the rotations changed so much and so many times during this rocky season, only stablizing in a mostly impressive late season run. But Steph's slightly shocked postgame response was a little different: "I just want to win," he said repeatedly. He may love this team as it is, but it sure sounds like he's ready for it to change.
The question everyone is focusing on is the future of free agent Klay Thompson. That he had the worst shooting game of his long career (the first time in nearly 1000 games that he's played more than 12 minutes and not scored) is not a great last impression, and complicates matters further. Personally I believe it was fatigue. When a reporter repeated in the presser after the New Orleans game that Coach Kerr said he was going to rest players for the upcoming Utah game, and asked what Klay thought of that, he welcomed the idea of rest, and noted the end of season heavy travel and back-to-backs. He was tired, and yet played more than 20 minutes against Utah, carrying the scoring burden without Steph. The game might have meant something but it turned out to be meaningless: the Warriors would have been in 10th win or lose. A tired Klay might have been the difference in the play-in, though as Coach Kerr said, the Kings physically dominated.
To be realistic, this loss is of limited consequence for them this year. The Lakers play Denver in the first round, and if it lasts 4, 5 or even 6 games, they will lose. I'm not sure the Warriors could beat Oklahoma City in 7, but I really doubt they could beat Denver. Their chances of coming out of the second round, let alone the first, were always dim.
The real consequence of this not even close loss is that it's the last impression of the season, and increases pressure on the Warriors front office to make big changes in the off-season. As Kerr said, the West was very competitive this year--with its 46 wins, the Warriors would have been a playoff team last year. And it seems the West is only going to get stronger next year. San Antonio is going to be better, Memphis is likely to be better, Sacramento--though whether they even get into the playoffs this year seems to depend on Zion's health in their upcoming play-in game in New Orleans--is a young team that's likely to be better. In addition to making next season a steeper mountain to climb, it also may limit the talent available to the Warriors in trades and free agency.
So there may be action in the off-season but there most definitely will be talk, talk, talk. I hope to avoid it. On the other hand, it's an election year and so the news will be no refuge. Well, there's the WNBA. There will be basketball there.
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