Current Warriors vs. 2015-16 Warriors? GM Bob Myers picks his winner

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Programming note: Watch the pregame edition of Warriors Outsiders tonight at 6 p.m. PT streaming live on the MyTeams app.

The 2015-16 Warriors won an NBA single-season record 73 games. They overcame a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals and then blew a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals.

Steph Curry became the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. It was an incredibly special nine months.

The 2018-19 Warriors are 30-14 right now. It's been an up-and-down campaign and there's been some legit turmoil (see: Draymond Green-Kevin Durant feud). But on Tuesday night in Denver, the Dubs showed how dominant they can be in a 142-111 shellacking of the Nuggets.

Golden State general manager Bob Myers was a guest on KNBR 680 on Wednesday morning and was asked if it's fair to say that the gap between the Warriors and the rest of the league has closed since that historic 2015-16 season.

"I think the league has evolved from where it was then. They've shifted more towards the style that we were playing then," Myers answered. "We've changed too but the league has certainly become more athletic in many ways, you've got more positionless guys, it's a better shooting league, everybody's playing faster.

"The league has changed but here's the question to ask when that kind of thought is raised -- which is a very fair thought -- and this is not me being defensive at all, but I think this team beats that team in a series.

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"I think this is a better team. And people will say, 'It's crazy. You were 24-0 and you won 73 games.' I still believe in a seven-game series, this roster beats that roster."

[LISTEN: Warriors Outsiders Podcast -- Dubs in first place after dominating in Denver]

It's hard to disagree with that. The main reason is due to the addition a certain someone you may have heard of: Kevin Wayne Durant. You know, the reigning two-time Finals MVP, who was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2016.

Also, take a look at Curry's statistics through the Warriors' first 44 games in both seasons.

-2018-19 = 29.5 points, 5.5 assists, 49.1 percent overall, 45.6 percent from 3-point range (5.3 makes per game)
-2015-16 = 30.1 points, 6.6 assists, 51 percent overall, 45.1 percent from 3-point range (4.9 makes per game)

Plain and simple, these Warriors are not approaching every regular season game with the focus and intensity that the 2015-16 squad brought on a nightly basis. That team was trying to break the Bulls' record of 72 wins.

Fast forward a few years, the motivations and goals understandably are not the same. 

"When you look at us, and this is asking a lot because fans can view the game any way they want and that's their prerogative and that's completely fine -- but there's times where you gotta pull back a little bit and go, 'OK, these guys are trying to do this for the fifth time in a row -- to go to the Finals.' And that hasn't been done in 50 years," Myers said. "And that's not a throwaway line.

"That just gives people perspective in that it's hard. Doesn't mean we're not gonna try, doesn't mean our guys don't give effort. But there's a lot more to do it ... that's how you kind of gotta view it."

Listen to your GM boys and girls. He's a smart dude.

And how could we forget -- DeMarcus Cousins will be making his debut on Friday night against the Clippers.

The best is likely still to come.

Drew Shiller is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders. Follow him on Twitter @DrewShiller

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