The other starters in the Western Conference pool are Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson were named starters in the East. A combination of fans, media and players vote to select starters, while coaches draft reserves.

And don’t forget, this past offseason, the Warriors lost a $30 million chunk of salary when they jettisoned Chris Paul strictly for luxury tax avoidance. The NBA owners wanted a system that brought big-market, big-spending teams like the Warriors to heel, and they received it.

The Golden State Warriors needed to win on Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings in order to avoid having a losing record. It seemed like Golden State was in the driver's seat with an 18-point lead,