CLEVELAND — These Warriors will be remembered not for their forceful finish, but for the eight months of exasperation that preceded it.
Their absurd collection of talent enraged rival fanbases and those who covet competitive balance. Their complacent stretches peeved coach Steve Kerr, to the point that he rage-called timeouts and lit into his team during the Western Conference finals. Their flirtation with isolation ball in crucial moments mystified a fanbase accustomed to non-stop onslaughts of ball movement and shot-making. Their oft-overlooked rash of injuries frustrated the players, who knew they were expected to win in 2018 from the moment they finished off the 2017 title.