The Golden State Warriors continue to dominate the world with a 97-87 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs to take a two nothing lead. The Warriors have dominated the NBA for the entire 2014-2015 season lead by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, and Andre Bogut. But the Warriors were not always this good, in fact before the 2012-2013 season the Warriors experience many rough years after the 2006-2007 “We Believe” year when they upset the number 1 seeded Dallas Mavericks. 2007-2008 (48-24) with no playoff berth, 2008-2009 (29-53), 2009-2010 (26-56), 2010-2011 (36-46), 2011-2012 (23-43). Changes started in 2010 when owner Chris Cohan resigned being replaced by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. One of the most controversial trades in team history was when the Warriors traded star Point Guard Monta Ellis for Center Andrew Bogut from the Milwaukee Bucks. The fans showed there frustration by booing Joe Lacob on March 19, 2012 during Chris Mullin’s jersey retirement ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMfn6-mb8_4 . I took to KNBR 680 that night and called into former Major League Baseball player Eric Byrnes’ radio postgame to talk about the booing of Joe Lacob: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHJMRgyLJQE . Fans regretted the Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut trade but it ended up working out in the end, and it was showed that the real talent was not with Monta Ellis, but with Stephen Curry who was drafted in 2009. With Klay Thompson being drafted a year earlier in 2011, the Warriors got their offensive talent known as the “Splash Brothers”. 

The Warriors under head coach Mark Jackson in 2012-2013 went 47-35 and beat the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. They were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. They acquired Andre Iguodala from the Denver Nuggets and Marresse Speights from the Cleveland Cavilers during the 2013 offseason. The Warriors would go 51-31 in 2013-2014 but be eliminated by the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. The front office decided to make a change and got rid of a very popular successful coach in Mark Jackson despite Stephen Curry’s support of Jackson. They hired longtime NBA point guard, former TNT commentator and General Manager of the Phoenix Suns Steve Kerr. In 2014-2015 the Golden State Warriors would have an incredible year and go 67-15 one of the best records in NBA history! Steve Kerr won coach of the year and the Warriors proved to be the best team in the league all season. Up 2-0 to the New Orleans Pelicans, the chance of the first NBA Championship in the Bay Area since 1974-1975 is looking very promising!