The 2015/16 campaign was a memorable year for the Golden State Warriors. While they managed to surpass the Chicago Bulls’ regular season record of 72 victories in a single campaign, the Warriors fell just short in the NBA Championship series as the Cleveland Cavaliers claimed a shock victory in Game 7 to claim a maiden title. It was a disappointing end for the Warriors after their incredible exploits throughout the regular season but that defeat could give them the impetus to push on and challenge next season.

LeBron James was the star man throughout the playoffs but Stephen Curry’s work during the regular season attracted plenty of plaudits. Curry finished the year with 2375 points; an incredible statistic. In addition, he had a .566% average in the two-point zone as well as a more than impressive average of 0.454$ from the three-point area of the court. Ultimately, he was close to unguardable when on rhythm and performing at his very best – it’s just a shame that he tailed off towards the end of the season as the pressure began to mount on his shoulders.

Curry netted 805 baskets throughout the season; over 100 more than in any previous campaign. He is arguably one of the greatest players in NBA history and will be quietly confident ahead of the upcoming season. With fixtures set to be released in the coming weeks, Golden State’s main man will believe that he can fire his team back to the NBA title.

In fact, Curry became the first unanimous winner of the regular season MVP award – an achievement that shows just how universally respected he is across the National Basketball Association. On his day, Curry is capable of winning games more or less on his own and because of that, the Warriors have a great chance of regaining the NBA crown. After all, the addition of Kevin Durant certainly won’t hinder their opportunity to bounce back at the first time of asking.

Kevin Durant to the #Warriors got a little more real last night https://t.co/I9lOx2GpD0

— Blue Man Hoop (@BlueManHoop) July 27, 2016

At the end of the season, Durant made the difficult decision to leave Oklahoma City Thunder for Golden State – a choice that did not go down well with most NBA supporters. He was labelled as a snake and a traitor but ultimately, Oklahoma City’s loss is Golden State’s gain. Durant isn’t quite on Curry’s level but he is a former regular season MVP and he has the talent to attract attention on the court, which could in turn give Curry more space and time to hurt opposing teams. If nothing else, it gives them yet another attacking option… and that can only be a positive sign for their chances of glory.

Golden State have match winners all over the court and it is hard to imagine they will slip up too often next season. It would be foolish to expect the Warriors to go on and eclipse last season’s record but they are certainly capable of matching it at the very least. With Curry, Durant and Klay Thompson, Golden State have enough big name stars to dominate the NBA for many years to come. In fact, we could well see the Warriors blow teams away in the first three quarters next season; which would mean Golden State’s main men are benched for the majority of the fourth quarter… and that could ultimately benefit Curry and co in the postseason.