Although the 2010s ended with a thud for the Golden State Warriors, they built a dynasty over the latter half of the decade. Sure, the Warriors also endured several heartbreaking moments during that span, but their glorious accomplishments certainly trump those dark times.
Let’s recall five of the greatest moments in Golden State Warriors history.
Honorable mention: Signing KD
Kevin Durant’s decision to take his talents to the Bay Area has to be one of the most criticized free agent signings in history. Pundits even labeled it as “bad for the league.” Heck, it even made people forget about LeBron James' own scrutinized “The Decision” fiasco in 2010.
But for the Golden State franchise and its large fan base, they hit the jackpot.
What do you get when you pair the two best long-distance shooters in the league (perhaps in history) in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson with a 6-foot-10 walking bucket in Durant?
The answer: the best offense in all of basketball.
KD’s arrival to the Bay Area simply made the Warriors impossible to guard. With Durant in tow, they went on to win two more titles in 2017 and 2018, while KD won Finals MVP on both occasions.
Had Durant not ruptured his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals, most pundits believe they would've gotten the better of the Toronto Raptors.
5. Wilt's 100-point game
Fans from this generation did not get a chance to marvel at Wilt Chamberlain's unparalleled dominance during his heyday.
Still, we'll always have that photo of Wilt holding the now-iconic “100” sign to remember him by. As unbelievable as it may seem, the 7-foot-1 giant did in fact record that many points in one single game.
He achieved that feat as a member of the Philadelphia Warriors on March 2, 1962 when they beat the New York Knicks, 169-147.
As far as individual achievements go, Wilt's scoring rampage may just be a record that won't be broken anytime soon.
4. Overcoming a 3-1 deficit vs OKC
This moment right here paved the way for Golden State to sign Durant in the summer of 2016.
The defending champs were a powerhouse team that blew by the competition. Pundits, however, were still not convinced how they'd respond with their backs against the wall.
They were pushed to the limit by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals when they fell down 3-1 in their best-of-seven affair. Durant, who was still with OKC at the time, punished Dubs defenders while his running mate Russell Westbrook also ran circles around their backcourt.
Showing the true heart of a champion, the Warriors showed resilience and climbed back from the brink of defeat to force a Game 7.
Curry poured in 36 points to take the decider, while KD played his final game in a Thunder uniform.
3. ‘We Believe’ Warriors
Before the Splash Brothers era began in San Francisco, the 2006-07 “We Believe” Warriors were the best thing that ever happened to the franchise.
Coached by the great Don Nelson, that Warriors team featured a rag-tag crew that only had one legitimate All-Star in Baron Davis.
The rest of the roster featured players who appeared more troublesome than they were worth, including Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes, and Al Harrington. Their backcourt also featured talented scorer Jason Richardson and a young Monta Ellis at the time.
Despite not being as talented nor as big as the other Western Conference teams, the team managed to secure the final ticket to the playoffs after going on a magnificent 16–5 run to end the season.
The 8th-seeded team took on the top-ranked Dallas Mavericks squad led by season MVP Dirk Nowitzki.
Pundits were expecting a clean sweep for the Mavs, but the Warriors had other plans. B-Diddy was beyond exceptional in the first round, leading the Warriors to a mighty 4-2 upset over the title favorites.
In the process, the Warriors also became the third eighth-seeded team in league history to eliminate a first-seeded team.
Golden State’s magical run would eventually end at the hands of the Utah Jazz in the next round. To this day, the story of the “We Believe” Warriors continues to inspire underdogs across all sports.
2. Breaking Bulls’ season record for wins
For years, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record for most wins in a regular season seemed unbreakable. Eclipsing 72 victories, after all, would seem to be a tall order even for a star-studded Warriors team in the 2015-16 season. One must be damn near-perfect to lose just nine times in 82 games.
Golden State went on to tie Chicago’s winning record that year and had a chance to make history in their final regular season game. But they still had to go through the Memphis Grizzlies in order to do so.
With all the motivation in the world, the Dubs raced to a convincing 125-104 victory and etched their names in the record books. Steve Kerr was part of the '96 Bulls team as a player, and he was once again part of the Dubs 2016 team as a head coach.
This could have easily been the Warriors’ best moment in franchise history, had they won the championship that year. Unfortunately, they fumbled a 3-1 advantage to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals.
1. Modern-day dynasty
The city of San Francisco is used to titles, having won three championships in 1947, 1956, and 1975. However, their title conquest in 2015 might just be the most satisfying one for the franchise.
The Warriors’ championship core that season was built from the draft, as they developed Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson into legitimate superstars.
The unheralded Draymond Green also became an integral part of the Dubs system.
They re-tooled in 2017 with the arrival of Durant, which resulted in back-to-back titles.
All in all, the Warriors made five straight NBA Finals appearances and won three titles during that stretch.
So, what do you think of these five greatest moments in Golden State Warriors history?
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