One of the countless debates in sports is pinning two teams from different eras and having them faceoff in a hypothetical matchup. When basketball fans think of the 2010s, the Warriors quickly come to mind.
During this run that has seen Golden State win four NBA titles in seven years, the 2016-17 team stands out, considering it featured Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, who signed with the Warriors in during the 2016 offseason after leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Recently, there has been debate over where that team stands as one of the best to ever step on a basketball court. The latest hypothetical all-time matchup garnering attention pits the 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers, which had Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, against the 2016-17 Warriors.
In an interview with Complex, Curry was asked whether that championship-winning team he was on could take down that Lakers squad from the early 2000s, which also had Phil Jackson at the helm as head coach.
“Between the ’96 Bulls and the hypotheticals of a 7-game series, the 2001 Lakers and that hypothetical series, or every other hypothetical series that people say we should’ve lost because of an injury or because of whatever the case may be, those conversations are trivial,” Curry said.
“But at the end of the day, if you could match up in some alternate universe, us versus the 2001 Lakers, obviously we feel like we can win. I don’t know who would guard Shaq but I don’t know who would guard me and Klay either. We rockin’ with that. And three is better than two.”
Golden State Warriors
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The two teams were juggernauts in their own right as the 2000-01 Lakers went 56-26, resulting in an NBA title after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in the Finals. Meanwhile, the 2016-17 Warriors had their share of elite talents on the floor, going 67-15 as they won the title that season over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It’s a debate that will spilt people into pulling for the Warriors or Lakers. Still, regardless it would be a fun matchup to hypothetically watch, considering the amount of talent that is going to be on the floor.