OAKLAND, Calif. — The Warriors had lost and taken the podium after defeats before, nine times in the regular season and eight times in these playoffs. But Game 7 was different. There was no more tomorrow, no more chances to follow up a historic regular season with a second consecutive championship. Only the resignation of a team that finished second in a season when anything but their coronation as one of the greatest teams of all time seemed improbable.
So, what does blowing a 3-1 lead and losing to the Cavaliers in Sunday's deciding game on their home floor mean for everything that came before it?