It wasn't the perfect season. It was one quarter short of being that. But it's only a waste if you let it be one, and for 99.5% of this season, it was all I'd ever wanted out of a sports team.

We watch sports for the enjoyment and for the ability to, for three hours, immerse ourselves in something that allows us to forget the troubles and toils of everyday life. At the end of the day, it's a game, and it's something that should deliver joy (albeit fleeting) to the viewers. And that's exactly what the Warriors did.

It wasn't the perfect ending, of course. I'll remember a hobbled Steph bricking the last shot and the Cavaliers erasing a 3-1 series deficit. I'll remember that we didn't win the championship despite going 73-9. But you know what else I'll remember?

I'll remember the records Stephen Curry obliterated, the fearlessness with which the Warriors took the league, the 24-0 start we had, and the adversity they battled through to even reach the finals, including downing one of the strongest teams I've seen in the last decade in OKC. I'll remember that throughout my first year in college, whenever we were drowning in work, stress, or projects, the Warriors were there to serve as the bit of excitement we could all discuss, watch, and enjoy as an escape from the daily grind. I'll remember that for the first time, the NBA was seriously fun to watch because of the insane creativity and bravado that Curry and the team showed in pulling off 3's from mid-court and relying on skill over physical dominance to win the league. And yes, I'll also remember 73-9, which, for better or for worse, probably won't be beaten for years to come.

Cleveland deserved to win and did, but the season wasn't a waste at all. For all the sadness at how it ended, we did win a championship the year before, and how many of us thought we'd ever win one, especially during the Dark Years after We Believe? Seeing the Warriors even contend for back-to-back titles, much less try to cap off a 73-9 run with a championship, is something I never thought I'd see and do feel privileged to have witnessed.

There's more positives as well. This team is well set up for many years to come; we've got a young core with a reigning unanimous MVP and two solid supporting all-stars, and we've also got great bench depth. This is still the team that won a championship and then broke the regular season wins record; it wasn't an accident and they've got all the ingredients to compete for years to come. There's hope and fun associated with this team, and for a long time, that's all we've ever wanted as Warriors fans.

In the end, we often forget that it's a game in the grand scheme of things, and that such things are meant to provide us with temporary escapes. For 105 games, Stephen Curry and the Warriors did just that in treating us to a dazzling array of skill and bravado, complete with buzzer-beating 3-pointers and record-setting performances. It wasn't the perfect ending, but it was still a lot of fun.