Off top, the 1998 Los Angeles Lakers and 2017 Golden State Warriors are a lot different.
For one, the Lakers were swept in the Western Conference Finals by the Utah Jazz. This did not happen to the Warriors. They actually were the ones sweeping the San Antonio Spurs.
While the two teams had multiple NBA All-Stars on the squad, the whole point of Robert Horry comparing the two teams was because of the culture surrounding the players and the camaraderie that one team shared over the other. He said his L.A. team at the time did not hang out together and didn’t mesh outside of the court because of all the egos on the roster.
Obviously, this has not happened with Golden State. When the organization brought in Kevin Durant, most of the starters went to recruit him to join them and they have not only embraced him, but let him take the lead and do what he does on the court. Steph Curry has even taken a back seat at times throughout their time on the court. Not to mention Klay Thompson, who has been non existent on the offensive end, yet is still holding it down on defense. Either way, they’ve all bought into winning and it’s showing on the court by the way they’re playing.
Plus, Durant has already said he’s willing to take less money to keep the team together.
This is a sentiment that Paul Pierce echoed when he was talking about his championship Boston Celtics squad. Everyone knew their role and played their part to win.
Horry then went on SportsCenter and said his 2001 Lakers would beat this year’s Warriors.