Golden State Warriors
Like many NBA teams, the Golden State Warriors are currently in a state of flux. The team, which is based in Oakland and plays its home games at Oracle Arena, was hailed as an up-and-comer in the Western Conference two seasons ago. Since then, they have been up and down, a talented young team capable of pulling off stunning upsets or losing a string of games. In the ultra-competitive Western Conference, the Warriors have struggled to find their place.
Early Years
The Warriors began their existence on the East Coast, as a member of the old Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Philadelphia Warriors were one of the original league members, winning the BAA’s first championship over the Chicago Stags. They boasted one of the league’s stars, “Jumping Joe” Fulks.
In 1959, the Warriors drafted Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, a strong and agile big man who changed the way the game was played. As a Philadelphia Warrior, Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single game on March 2, 1962, against the New York Knicks. His single-game scoring record still stands today.
The team moved to San Francisco, Calif., in 1962, and were renamed the San Francisco Warriors. They began playing home games at the Oakland Coliseum Arena in 1966, and in 1971 they changed their name to the Golden State Warriors. To this day, they are the only NBA team whose nickname does not include their home state or city.
Championships
The Warriors have won two NBA championships in their history, one on each coast. As the Philadelphia Warriors, they defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons, four games to one, to win the 1955-56 title. As the Golden State Warriors, they upset the heavily favored Washington Bullets to become the 1974-75 champs. That team was led by notable players like Rick Barry and Jamaal Wilkes, yet they were tremendous underdogs. Someone forgot to tell the Warriors that; they swept the Bullets in four games.
“Run-TMC”
The Warriors faded into NBA obscurity during the late 1970s and early ‘80s, but a trio of draft picks would put them back into the limelight in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin played so well together, and scored so many points in such a high-flying style, that they garnered the nickname “Run-TMC.” The nickname was a play on the rap group Run-DMC, incorporating the first initials of Tim (Hardaway), Mitch (Richmond), and Chris (Mullin).
The trio played a high-speed, run-and-gun style that flustered many opponents and cemented head coach Don Nelson’s reputation as the mad genius of the NBA. They were the NBA’s highest-scoring threesome of the 1990-91 season. But Nelson, who is known to tinker with his teams even when they’re successful, traded Richmond for Billy Owens and broke up the trio.
2007-08 Season
After upsetting the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2006-07 playoffs, hopes were high for the Warriors in 2007-08. But shooting guard Jason Richardson was traded away to the Charlotte Bobcats for Brandan Wright, and forward Stephen Jackson was suspended for an incident involving a firearm. The team did not live up to expectations and ended up missing the playoffs.
The offseason brought change to the organization. Star point guard Baron Davis opted out of his contract and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Corey Maggette migrated to the Warriors from the Clippers.
2008-09 Outlook
The Western Conference is historically tough, and has gotten tougher with the addition of Pau Gasol to the Lakers, Jason Kidd to the Mavericks, and Shaquille O’Neal to the Suns. Whether Golden State’s off-season acquisitions will allow them to keep pace remains to be seen. But teams around the league know that Don Nelson thrives in the role of underdog. If the Golden State Warriors can make the playoffs, few teams will want to see them in the first round.
