From the very beginning of what was Kevin Durant's last season with the Warriors, Steve Kerr implored his team to enjoy the ride.
He was speaking from experience, as Kerr's final season with the Chicago Bulls in 1997-98 marked the end of their dynasty. Watching that season replayed each week during the airing of "The Last Dance," ESPN's 10-part documentary on those Bulls, demonstrates exactly why Kerr desperately wanted the Warriors to savor the moment.
"To be honest, [the documentary] is just confirmation of what I was saying to our team all of last year and 2018," Kerr told ESPN's Nick Friedell. "The whole messaging for the year was based on my experience with Chicago and feeling that level of fatigue [and] emotional toll that had been over the previous four years. ... And so watching this now is just a reminder of how difficult it is to sustain that kind of run."
[RUNNIN' PLAYS PODCAST: Listen to the latest episode]
Unlike the Bulls' "Last Dance," the Warriors' dynasty didn't end with them lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Golden State lost Durant (ruptured Achilles) and Thompson (torn ACL) to injuries en route to losing the NBA Finals in six games to Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors.
That loss was the last of five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. With Durant joining the Brooklyn Nets last summer, Thompson missed every game the Warriors played this season and Curry (broken hand) was sidelined for all but five.
The Warriors (15-50) were, unsurprisingly, eliminated from playoff contention in the last game they played before the NBA suspended the season due to the coronavirus. They'll have a lottery pick for the first time since drafting Thompson No. 11 overall in 2011, but the Warriors fully expect to contend next season.
[RELATED: Myers sees similarities between MJ's Bulls, '17-18 Warriors]
Golden State will need a lot to go right in order to jumpstart a second dynasty. But by then, Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green won't need Kerr telling them to enjoy it while they can.
They'll know full well how fleeting greatness can be.
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