The Golden State Warriors continue to fight their way back to the NBA Finals
Today, the Golden State Warriors are something of an enigma. Why does his name represent a complete state? Who are the “Warriors” to which their name refers? Have you ever won an NBA championship? Like other NBA teams, the Warriors have a storied history that is definitely worth telling.
Where did the name “Warriors” originate? The NBA team inherited its name from a former ABL team, the Philadelphia Warriors.
The Warriors made their NBA debut during the 1962-1963 season, although their previous name was the San Francisco Warriors. His team featured Wilt Chamberlain, arguably one of the greatest NBA players of all time. However, the Warriors watched the playoffs from home, after a disappointing 31-49 season. Interestingly, the Cow Palace was the home stadium for the Warriors.
Remarkably, the Warriors achieved tremendous success in just their second NBA season in San Francisco. Thanks to a solid seven-player rotation, the Warriors finished first in their Western Division, with a 48-32 record. The Warriors edged out the St. Louis Hawks, after struggling through a seven-game playoff series. However, the Boston Celtics then crushed the Warriors in five games, for the former’s sixth straight NBA championship.
Just three seasons later, during 1966-1967, the San Francisco Warriors had another stellar season. They finished it with a 44-37 record. The Warriors quickly dismissed the Los Angeles Lakers with three straight wins, then needed six games to dispose of the St. Louis Hawks again. Wilt Chamberlain played in the NBA Finals that season, but much to the Warriors’ pain, he started for the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers proved to be the superior team, defeating the Warriors 4-2 in the NBA Finals.
The Warriors moved from San Francisco to Oakland, before the 1971-1972 season. The team hoped to attract a larger fan base, thus alternating their name with the “Golden State” Warriors. Since 1968, California’s nickname has been “The Golden State.” This was due to the monumental discovery of gold in California in 1848.
Just three seasons after moving to Oakland, the Golden State Warriors struck gold. The team made some bold moves before the 1974-1975 season, which paid off. The franchise built its squad around Rick Barry, who had made the team an NBA championship contender. With a 48-34 record, the Warriors won the Pacific Division crown.
In the playoffs, the Warriors played with great determination. It took them six games to eliminate the Seattle Supersonics. Then, after losing 2-0 in their series against the Chicago Bulls, the Warriors fought back to win the series 4-3. Although the NBA Finals games against the Washington Bullets were close (two games were within 1 point difference), the Warriors swept the Bullets in the series 4-0.
Although they lack the wide following of other NBA teams, the Golden State Warriors have remained a solid team throughout their history, making three trips to the NBA Championship Series. Wear Golden State Warriors merchandise to cheer on the Warriors as they continue to battle their way back to the NBA Finals!