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Kalan Hooks, ESPN
Former Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas didn’t hold back Tuesday about criticizing the Golden State Warriors.
Thomas appeared as a guest on the Draymond Green Podcast, where he made a “bold statement” that the 2015-16 Warriors were on their way to a downfall after finishing with a record-breaking 73-9 regular season.
“The Golden State Warriors dynasty that you’re gonna go into the Hall of Fame on and everything else, it is cemented because if Durant don’t come that summer and you guys are remembered as the 73-9 team, all of your legacies are different,” Thomas said.
“If Durant don’t come that summer and you guys are remembered as the 73-9 team, all of your legacies are different”
–@IsiahThomas tells @Money23Green the impact @KDTrey5 had for the Warriors pic.twitter.com/pO8C1TpisU
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) March 12, 2024
Thomas pointed out that the Warriors lost to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals. Golden State jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the series before suffering four consecutive losses to the Cavaliers en route to the franchise’s first championship.
With a 3-3 series, Cleveland concluded its championship run behind James’ signature chase-down block against Andre Iguodala.
Thomas calls the Warriors’ 2016 Finals series “probably one of the biggest collapses in NBA Finals history.”
Durant joined Golden State the following offseason after signing a two-year $54.3 million contract. His addition helped the Warriors win two NBA titles in 2017 and 2018, both against Cleveland.
But Thomas said without Durant, Golden State wouldn’t hold the same legacy they would with the now-Phoenix Suns forward.
“Kevin Durant comes that summer and really saves y’all basketball legacy,” Thomas said.