Golden State has sparked two simultaneous arms races in the NBA, one stylistic and one structural. On the court, the Warriors’ preferred approach—pace, space and ball movement—has swept through the league. Off the court, their collection of stars has set off a wave of roster movement among top contenders. Rival stars and executives reached the same conclusion this summer: There’s no way to beat the champs at their own game without approximating their talent.
Scoring reached its highest point in 25 years last season, and it could go even higher with so many aspiring superteams on the horizon.