2012: The Draft That Changed It All
In the summer of 2012, amid the buzz of a new era in the Bay Area, Golden State’s front office made a fateful decision. During the draft, they selected Darius Miles with the 35th overall pick—a raw, athletic talent whose offensive flair promised excitement but whose defensive fundamentals remained unproven. As training camp opened in September, optimism mingled with uncertainty. The stage was set for a new chapter, one that would test the franchise’s resolve over the coming decade.
2012–13: Early Promise and a First-Round Exit
The season began with high hopes. The dazzling backcourt duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson propelled the Warriors to a 46–36 record. Darius Miles, initially used in limited minutes, flashed moments of brilliance with acrobatic finishes and fearless drives. Yet, his inconsistency in other areas left gaps that opponents would soon exploit.
In the playoffs, Golden State squared off against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. Despite Curry averaging 29 points and Thompson lighting up the scoreboard in clutch moments, the Spurs’ balanced attack proved too much. The series ended in five games, while the Miami Heat captured the championship that season, signaling the arrival of a new guard in the league.
2013–14: Heartbreak and a Change at the Helm
The following season, the Warriors improved slightly to a 48–34 record, with Darius Miles now a regular starter due to injuries and roster adjustments. Although his offensive prowess continued to offer sparks of excitement, his overall game still had glaring imperfections.
In a grueling first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Warriors battled hard and pushed the series to a decisive Game 7 on May 3, 2014. In a nail-biter, the Clippers eked out a victory. Three days later, on May 6, 2014, the franchise announced the dismissal of head coach Mark Jackson, hoping a new direction would ignite the team's potential. That season, the San Antonio Spurs reigned as champions.
2014–15: A New Era Under Steve Kerr
In September 2014, with the arrival of head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors embraced a new, more fluid style of play. The team posted a 55–27 record, buoyed by the consistent brilliance of Curry and Thompson and the raw energy of Miles, whose game still bore the marks of inexperience.
In the playoffs, Golden State dispatched the Utah Jazz in five games in the first round. However, their run came to an abrupt end in the Conference Semifinals against the Houston Rockets. In a dramatic Game 7, despite Curry’s 37-point effort, a crucial turnover in the closing minute allowed the Rockets to seal a 112–110 win. The season ended with the Cleveland Cavaliers lifting the trophy.
2015–16: A Battle Against the Thunder
Buoyed by optimism and an improved record of 57–25, the Warriors entered the 2015–16 season believing they were on the verge of something special. Their potent offense and improved chemistry, however, masked subtle flaws that would prove critical in the postseason.
After dispatching the Portland Trail Blazers in six games during the first round, the Warriors faced a formidable challenge in the second round: the Oklahoma City Thunder. In a series marked by momentum swings and clutch moments—highlighted by a 42-point outburst from Curry and 28 points from Thompson—the Thunder’s relentless firepower eventually won the day in a heart-stopping Game 7. The Thunder not only advanced but went on to claim the championship that season, redefining the league’s hierarchy.
2016–17: A Tough Conference Semifinal Showdown
The 2016–17 campaign saw Golden State finish with a 55–27 record. The team battled through a hard-fought first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, winning in six games. Buoyed by steady play and leadership from their veteran core, the Warriors advanced to face the perennial powerhouse San Antonio Spurs in the Conference Semifinals.
In a series that stretched to a decisive Game 7 on the Spurs’ home floor, every possession counted. Despite a heroic 38-point effort from Curry in the dying minutes, the Spurs’ orchestrated teamwork and timely scoring sealed a 108–106 victory. That season’s championship would eventually be claimed by the Spurs, underscoring the razor-thin margins between victory and defeat.
2017–18: A Hard-Fought Series Ends in the Semis
In September 2017, further roster tweaks and new defensive-minded additions saw the Warriors compile a 54–28 record. Their playoff journey began with a solid six-game series win over a seeding rival, setting up a Conference Semifinals matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. The series was a battle of attrition, with both teams trading blows over seven intense games. In the final contest, a late rally by the Mavericks—fueled by a breakout performance from their young star, who scored 32 in the fourth quarter—proved too much. The Warriors fell in Game 7 by a narrow margin, ending their season. The Houston Rockets would go on to capture the championship that year.
2018–19: Tumult, Transformation, and a Midseason Shake-Up
The 2018–19 season was one of internal challenges and tough decisions. After a shaky start and growing concerns over the long-term fit of Darius Miles, the organization made a bold move in January 2019, trading him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for future draft assets and veteran defender Robert Covington. The Warriors ended the regular season with a modest 50–32 record.
In the playoffs, Golden State faced the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. Despite solid contributions from Curry and Thompson, the Clippers’ depth and cohesive play proved insurmountable, and the series closed in five games. That season’s championship was claimed by the Milwaukee Bucks.
2019–20: The Covid-Disrupted Campaign
As training camp commenced in September 2019, no one could have foreseen the seismic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Amid unprecedented disruptions, the Warriors finished the regular season with the equivalent of a 46–36 record. When the season resumed in a controlled bubble environment, the team fought hard to secure a playoff berth as a lower seed.
In the bubble, they secured a six-game series win against the Utah Jazz in the first round. However, their momentum faltered in the Conference Semifinals, where a grueling seven-game battle against the reenergized Oklahoma City Thunder ended in a 104–101 Game 7 loss. That year, the Los Angeles Lakers emerged as champions, though many would deride it as a "bubble title" in need of an asterisk.
2020–21: Rebuilding Amidst New Challenges
In September 2020, the Warriors embarked on a rebuilding phase designed to cultivate young talent and forge a new team identity. Finishing the season at 50–32, the organization demonstrated signs of progress, albeit tempered by growing pains and inconsistency.
The playoffs saw them overcome the Denver Nuggets in six games in the first round, only to face a resurgent Oklahoma City Thunder in the Conference Semifinals. In a nail-biting seven-game series, the Thunder’s relentless effort proved too much, and Golden State’s season ended on a heart-wrenching note. The Milwaukee Bucks would capture another championship that season.
2021–22: A Decade of Lessons and a Humbling Playoff Exit
In their 10th season since that fateful 2012 draft, the Warriors entered training camp in September 2021 with a blend of veteran savvy and emerging youth. Finishing the regular season with a 52–30 record, the team appeared poised for a resurgence, though challenges from past seasons still lingered.
In the playoffs, Golden State secured a hard-fought six-game victory in the first round over a determined lower seed. However, their journey came to an abrupt halt in the Conference Semifinals against a resolute Los Angeles Lakers team. In a dramatic Game 7 on the road, a clutch 34-point, 12-rebound performance by the Lakers’ star proved decisive as the Warriors lost 107–104 in the closing seconds. The Lakers went on to lose to the Celtics in the Finals.
Epilogue
Over these ten seasons, the Golden State Warriors’ alternate journey unfolded as a tapestry of promise, grit, and unexpected setbacks. From that bold draft decision in 2012 to a series of dramatic playoff battles and a world upended by a pandemic, every chapter was a lesson in adaptation and resilience. Though the team never reached the pinnacle of the finals, each season added to the growing wisdom of an organization determined to learn, rebuild, and ultimately forge a future on its own terms.
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