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Is the “Super Team Era” Officially Over?

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Where are the Fantasy teams?

The Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics duel it out for the 2022 NBA championship, we have seen that the NBA may be more balanced than it has ever been. There aren’t really any teams that are so stacked that they are basically guaranteed to go to the Finals. The closest thing to that now would be the Brooklyn Nets. However, injuries have prevented them from reaching their full potential. Initially, they had Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving at their disposal. This is a classic super team roster, but they traded Harden for Ben Simmons this year, who did not play. The Nets were swept by the Celtics in the first round, and it does not look like they will ever be the powerhouse they were intended to be. 

 

Winning In Different Ways

There really was no overpowering/dominant team this season, and there hasn’t been for a little while now. The last three NBA Finals featured six different teams. This is a stark contrast to most of the 2010s, and even some of the 2000s with teams like the Lakers. The Warriors signed Kevin Durant in 2016-2017, one of the best players at the time. They had gone to the Finals the previous year, breaking the all-time record for most wins in the regular season. They went to the Finals the next three years, winning two out of the three. In 2010, the Miami Heat added LeBron James and Chris Bosh to a Dwayne Wade lead team. They went to the Finals the next four years, winning two. LeBron then left the Heat to join Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in Cleveland in 2014. The Heat, the Warriors, or the Cavaliers played in every finals from 2010 to 2019. 

 

The New Era

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a sort of poster child for this shift from the super team era. He has stated that he doesn’t really want to join forces with other star players, especially outside of Milwaukee. He was able to win the Finals last year without another star, so he showed it could be done. Now, the Boston Celtics have a good chance to win a championship, and they have been a surprise to many. Even the Warriors are not the juggernauts they once were. So maybe, this trend will stick for the foreseeable future. Also, this would make it easier for star players to sign big contracts while still having a chance to win the Finals, because teams would not have to pay other star players so much money. Of course, it is possible that a new super team could be formed as soon as next season and it would be no surprise. 

 

As it is, many fans have been enjoying this more competitive, more suspenseful NBA. But there is something to be said about witnessing amazing talent amassed on one team, especially when two or more of these teams are able to compete in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how the next few off-seasons will play out, and how it affects the league. 

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