| Golden State Warriors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 (
The Golden State Warriors an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco, California. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Warriors play their home games at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
The Warriors have reached twelve NBA Finals, winning seven NBA championships in 1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. Golden State's seven NBA championships are the third-most in NBA history, and behind only the Los Angeles Lakers (17) and Boston Celtics (17).
The team was established in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a founding member of the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Warriors won the inaugural Basketball Association of America (BAA) championship in 1947, and won again in 1956, led by Hall of Fame trio Paul Arizin, Tom Gola, and Neil Johnston. After a brief rebuilding period after the trade of star Wilt Chamberlain, in 1962, the franchise relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and was renamed the San Francisco Warriors. In 1971, the team changed its geographic moniker to the Golden State Warriors, after California's state nickname.
In 1975, star players Jamaal Wilkes and Rick Barry powered the Warriors to their third championship, when they swept the heavily favored Washington Bullets in four games, which is widely considered one of the biggest upsets in NBA history.
The team struggled in the 1980s, then became playoff regulars at the turn of the decade with stars Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin, nicknamed "Run TMC". The Warriors would then struggle in the mid-late 1990s and most of the 2000s, making only one playoff appearance in 2007. The team returned to championship glory in 2015, led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green; they won again in 2017 and 2018, with the help of former MVP Kevin Durant.
After losing the 2019 NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors, the Warriors entered a brief rebuilding period following a dramatic 2019 offseason that saw the departures of many of their key players, such as Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala. Coupled with injuries to both Curry and Thompson, the Warriors missed the playoffs for 2 seasons before returning in 2022, where they would go on to return to the Finals, defeating the Boston Celtics in six games to win their 7th NBA championship in franchise history.
Nicknamed the "Dubs" as a shortening of "W's", the Warriors hold several NBA records: best regular season (73–9 (.890) record during the 2015–16 season), most wins in a season (regular season and postseason combined), and best postseason run (16–1 (.941) record in the 2017 NBA Playoffs). Curry and Thompson are generally considered among the greatest backcourts of all time. The Warriors have both the third most NBA championships and Finals appearances; only the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics have more. The Warriors are the second most valuable NBA franchise and the sixth-highest valued sports franchise in the world, with an estimated value of $4.7 billion.
Home arenas
Philadelphia Warriors
- Philadelphia Arena (1946–1962)
- Philadelphia Convention Hall (1952–1962)
San Francisco Warriors
- Cow Palace (1962–1964, 1966–1971 and two games in the 1975 NBA Finals)
- San Francisco Civic Auditorium (1964–1967)
- USF War Memorial Gymnasium (1964–1966)
Golden State Warriors
- HP Pavilion (formerly San Jose Arena) (1996–1997)
- Oakland Arena (formerly Oracle Arena, The Arena in Oakland, and Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena) (1966–1967, 1971–1996, 1997–2019)
- Chase Center (2019–present)
Franchise history
Philadelphia Warriors (1946–1962)
1946–1959: Fulks and Arizin
Philadelphia Warriors logo 1946–1951.
The Warriors were founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, a charter member of the Basketball Association of America. They were owned by Peter Tyrrell, who also owned the Philadelphia Ramblers of the American Hockey League. Tyrrell hired Eddie Gottlieb, a longtime basketball promoter in the Philadelphia area, as coach and general manager.
Gottlieb named the team after the Philadelphia Warriors, which he founded with his friends Harry Passon and Hughie Black in 1917 as the Philadelphia YMHA, which was sponsored by the Young Men's Hebrew Association of South Philadelphia and played in the minor league American League of Philadelphia, before being renamed the Philadelphia Sphas (1918–1921, 1922–1926, 1927–1933, 1937–1959) — a team of primarily Jewish players that was sponsored by the South Philadelphia Hebrew Association and played in the Eastern Basketball League and American Basketball League — and subsequently renamed the Philadelphia Passon, Gottlieb, Black (after the founders) (1921–1923); the Philadelphia Warriors (1926–1928); the Philadelphia Hebrews (1933–1937); the Atlantic City Tides (1949); and the Baltimore Rockets (1959), an exhibition team for the Harlem Globetrotters. (Today, some, including Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony, have called on the team to change its name because Warriors are associated with Native American iconography, although the term itself has been used to describe many types of warfarers, both past and present, however team management today in regards to the controversy over the team's name history, has stated the name "Warriors" is now nothing more than an honorable reference to the United States military).
Philadelphia Warriors logo 1951–1962.
Led by early scoring sensation Joe Fulks, the Warriors won the championship in the league's inaugural 1946–47 season by defeating the Chicago Stags, four games to one. (The BAA became the National Basketball Association in 1949.) Among the individual Warriors highlights of the 1940s, Fulks set an NBA single-game scoring record of 63 points in 1949 that stood for more than 10 years. Gottlieb bought the team in 1951.
The Warriors won their other championship as a Philadelphia team in the 1955–56 season, defeating the Fort Wayne Pistons, four games to one. The stars of this era in the team's history were future Hall of Famers Paul Arizin, Tom Gola and Neil Johnston. Arizin and Johnston won five of the six NBA scoring titles between the 1951–52 and 1956–57 seasons, while Johnston led the NBA in rebounding during the 1954–55 season and Andy Phillip led the NBA in assists twice during the early 1950s.
1959–1962: The scoring machine – Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain was drafted by the Warriors in the 1959 NBA Draft. Chamberlain would go on to set numerous NBA scoring and rebounding records as a Warrior.
In 1959, the team signed draft pick Wilt Chamberlain, a Philadelphia native (he graduated from Overbrook High School). Known as "Wilt the Stilt", Chamberlain quickly began shattering NBA scoring and rebounding records and changed the style of play forever. During each of his three seasons as a Philadelphia Warrior, Chamberlain led the NBA in both scoring and rebounding. In his first season, he was named NBA Rookie of the Year, the NBA All-Star Game MVP, and the league's regular season MVP after averaging 37.6 points per game and 27.0 rebounds per game. In his second season, he set still-standing records when he averaged 27.2 rebounds per game and grabbed 55 rebounds in a single game.
On March 2, 1962, in a Warriors game played on a neutral court in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Chamberlain scored 100 points against the New York Knicks, a single-game record that the NBA ranks among its finest moments. During that season, his third in the league, Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points per game and 25.7 rebounds per game.
San Francisco Warriors (1962–1971)
San Francisco Warriors logo 1962–1969.
In 1962, Franklin Mieuli purchased the majority shares of the team and relocated the franchise to the San Francisco Bay Area, renaming them the San Francisco Warriors, playing most of their home games at the Cow Palace (located on the border between San Francisco and Daly City), though occasionally playing home games in nearby cities such as Oakland and San Jose. The Warriors won the 1963-64 Western Division crown, losing the NBA championship series to the Boston Celtics, four games to one.
San Francisco Warriors "The City" logo 1969–1971.
In 1965, the Warriors drafted Rick Barry in the first round. Barry was named NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season, then led the Warriors to the NBA Finals in the 1966–67 season, where the team lost (four games to two) to the team that replaced the Warriors in Philadelphia, the 76ers. Angered by management's failure to pay him certain incentive awards he felt he was due, Barry sat out the 1967-68 season, joining the Oakland Oaks of the rival American Basketball Association the following year.
The Warriors changed their name to the Golden State Warriors for the 1971–72 season, playing almost all home games in Oakland. Six "home" games were played in San Diego during that season but more significantly, none were played in San Francisco or Daly City. After changing their name from the San Francisco Warriors, the Warriors became (and remain) the only NBA team that does not include the name of their state or their city in their name (although "Golden State" is a well-known California nickname).
After four seasons in the ABA, Barry rejoined the Warriors in 1972.
Golden State Warriors (1971–present)
1974–1976: Championship contention
Golden State Warriors logo 1971–1975.
The 1974–75 team was coached by former Warrior Al Attles, and was led on the court by Rick Barry and Jamaal Wilkes. Wilkes was named the NBA Rookie of the Year, while Barry had a great all-around season averaging 30.6 points per game, leading the league in both free throw percentage and steals per game, and finishing sixth in the league in assists per game. In what many consider the biggest upset in the history of the NBA, in the 1975 NBA Finals, the Warriors defeated the heavily favored Washington Bullets in a four-game sweep. So little was felt of the team's chances in the playoffs, even by their home fans, that the Coliseum Arena scheduled other events during the dates of the NBA playoffs. As a result, the Warriors did not play their championship series playoff games in Oakland; rather, they played at the Cow Palace in Daly City. Barry averaged 29.5 points per game during the Finals and was named the NBA Finals MVP.
At 59–23, the Warriors had the league's best record during the 1975–76 season. They were upset, however, by the 42–40 Phoenix Suns in seven games in the Western Conference Finals.
1976–1985: Collapse and resurgence
Golden State Warriors logo 1975–1988.
Due of the loss of key players such as Barry, Wilkes and Thurmond to trades and retirements, the Warriors struggled to put a competitive team on the court from 1978 to 1987 after being one of the NBA's dominant teams in the 1960s and most of the 1970s. Through the NBA draft, however, they acquired some players such as high-scoring forward Purvis Short (1978), former Purdue center Joe Barry Carroll (1980) and center Robert Parish (1976), who was traded to the Boston Celtics in 1980 along with the draft pick that would become Kevin McHale for the pick used to draft Carroll. In 1983, the Warriors matched the New York Knicks' offer for free-agent Bernard King, but, unable to pay his high salary, quickly traded him to the Knicks for guard Micheal Ray Richardson, whom they soon shipped to New Jersey in exchange for former Georgetown Hoya point guard Eric "Sleepy" Floyd, and journeyman forward Mickey Johnson. Floyd once scored 29 points for the Warriors in the fourth quarter of a playoff game against the Lakers, though he was later traded to the Houston Rockets.
The departure of these players for various reasons symbolized the franchise's futility during this period, as head coach Attles moved up to the front office as general manager in 1980 and the team made several coaching changes. New owners Jim Fitzgerald and Dan Finane finally managed to return the team to respectability by hiring former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach George Karl as head coach in 1986 after selecting St. John's small forward Chris Mullin in the 1985 NBA draft.
1985–1997: The Chris Mullin era
Golden State Warriors logo 1988–1997.
After a subpar stretch in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the team had a brief resurgence under coach Karl, culminating in a 1987 Western Conference Semifinal match against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers that is still shown on TV in the NBA's Greatest Games series. The second-half performance by the Warriors' All-Star point guard Sleepy Floyd still stands as the NBA playoff record for points scored in a quarter (29) and in a half (39). His six consecutive field goals in the fourth quarter led to a 51-point finish for him and a victory for the Warriors. However, the Warriors lost the series in five games.
Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin formed the high-scoring trio Run TMC. Starting in 1989, they played together for two seasons with the Warriors, and were the league's highest-scoring trio in the 1990–91 season. Their name was a play on the hip hop group Run-DMC, with the first name initials of each member forming TMC. Despite their short time together, the popularity of Run TMC endured.
The "Sleepy Floyd game" catalyzed increased interest in the NBA in the Bay Area; so did new coach Don Nelson, who engineered a string of wins in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the high-scoring trio of point guard Tim Hardaway, guard Mitch Richmond and forward Chris Mullin. Collectively known as "Run TMC" after the rap group Run-D.M.C., the trio stayed together for just two seasons and won only one playoff series. Nelson sent Richmond to the Sacramento Kings for rookie power forward Billy Owens, a promising young front-court player meant to complement the coach's run-and-gun system. Nelson had been brought to the Warriors from the Milwaukee Bucks by Jim Fitzgerald, who co-owned the team from 1986 and 1995 with Dan Finnane. In 1993–94, with first-round draft pick and Rookie of the Year power forward Chris Webber playing with off-guard Latrell Sprewell, the Warriors made the playoffs, but were swept by the Phoenix Suns.
At the start of the next season, however, a rift formed between Webber and Sprewell on the one hand and Nelson on the other. All three soon left the team, and the organization went into a tailspin. The 1994–95 season was the first under new team owner Chris Cohan, who had bought out Fitzgerald and Finnane. The Warriors selected power forward prospect Joe Smith as their first overall draft pick in 1995 and hired Rick Adelman as the new head coach. They sent Tim Hardaway and Chris Gatling to the Miami Heat for Kevin Willis and Bimbo Coles midway through the 1995–96 season, and ended up with a 36–46 record, three wins short of making the playoffs. While their home court, the Oakland Coliseum Arena, was being extensively renovated, the 1996–97 Warriors played their home games in the San Jose Arena and struggled to a 30–52 finish. Following the season, Mullin was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Erick Dampier and Duane Ferrell.
1997–2009: Wilderness years
Golden State Warriors logo 1997–2010.
Longtime Seton Hall college coach P. J. Carlesimo, who had been recently fired by the Portland Trail Blazers, replaced Adelman as head coach for the 1997–98 season. Sprewell was suspended for the remainder of the season for losing his temper and choking Carlesimo during a team practice in December, generating the glaring newspaper headline "WARRIORS HIT ROCK BOTTOM" and the declaration by general manager Garry St. Jean that Sprewell would never play for the Warriors again. He would not play in the NBA again until he was dealt in January 1999 to the New York Knicks for John Starks, Chris Mills and Terry Cummings.
St. Jean had become the new Warriors' general manager in July 1997; he and his predecessor Dave Twardzik received much of the blame for the Warriors' struggles early in Cohan's turbulent tenure as owner in addition to Cohan himself. St. Jean brought in players such as Terry Cummings, John Starks and Mookie Blaylock who were well past their primes. Twardzik drafted several flops, such as Todd Fuller (while Kobe Bryant was still available as well as Steve Nash and Jermaine O'Neal) and Steve Logan (who never played an NBA game). In the following draft, the team selected Adonal Foyle while Tracy McGrady was still available. St. Jean did, however, draft future two-time NBA slam dunk champion off-guard Jason Richardson (from Michigan State), who would become a key player on the team until the end of the 2006–07 season.
The team also saw a change of visual identity, with a new logo featuring a lightning bolt, that eventually brought in a superhero mascot, Thunder, who remained with the team until the emergence of the Oklahoma City Thunder forced its retirement.
For a few years, with rising stars Richardson, small forward Antawn Jamison and point guard Gilbert Arenas leading the team, the Warriors seemed like a team on the rise; but the young Warriors did not have enough in the competitive Western Conference to make the playoffs. After the 2002–03 season, St. Jean's earlier mistakes of committing money to players like Danny Fortson, Adonal Foyle and Erick Dampier were painfully felt by Warriors' fans when the team was unable to re-sign Arenas despite his desire to stay in the Bay Area. A new rule was implemented in response to second-round draft picks who quickly become superstars. Chris Mullin succeeded St. Jean with the title of Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2004. He hoped to build a winning team around Jason Richardson, Mike Dunleavy Jr and Troy Murphy, and drafted 7-foot center Andris Biedriņš from Latvia (11th overall). At the 2005 trading deadline, he bolstered to the team with the acquisition of point guard Baron Davis, bringing to the team its first superstar since Mullin himself. The Warriors enjoyed a great start to the 2005–06 season, entering the new year with a plus .500 winning percentage for the first time since 1994, but managed to win only 13 more games through the end of March due to injuries. Davis often found himself at odds with new head coach Mike Montgomery (used to dealing with college players in his long tenure at Stanford) and failed to remain healthy, playing in just 54 games. On April 5, 2006, the Warriors were officially eliminated from playoff contention in a 114–109 overtime loss to the Hornets, extending their playoff drought to 12 seasons.
2006–2007: "We Believe" season
In the 2006–07 season, led by players such as Mickaël Piétrus, Matt Barnes, Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis, and Jason Richardson (both not pictured), the Warriors returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1994. “We Believe” became the Warriors’ slogan for the last two months of the season and the playoffs. The underdog Warriors would go on to upset the heavily favored Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs in six games before falling to the Utah Jazz in the second round in five games.
Entering the 2006–07 season, the Warriors held the active record (12) for the most consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance (see Active NBA non-playoff appearance streaks). During the 2006 off-season, Golden State announced that it had bought out the remaining two years of coach Montgomery's contract and hired previous Golden State and former Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson to take over for him. During training camp, small forward Matt Barnes established himself in the rotation. On January 17, 2007, the Warriors traded the disappointing Murphy and Dunleavy with promising young power forward Ike Diogu and Keith McLeod to the Indiana Pacers for forward Al Harrington, forward/guard Stephen Jackson, guard Šarūnas Jasikevičius and forward Josh Powell. This trade allowed the Warriors to "run and gun" their way to the playoffs with a more athletic and talented team.
On January 24, 2007, the Warriors won their first game with their revamped roster, with encouraging play from Monta Ellis, Al Harrington, and Baron Davis against the New Jersey Nets, ending dramatically on a buzzer beater from Ellis.
On March 4, 2007, the Warriors suffered a 106–107 loss in Washington, with the Wizards handing them their 6th straight loss when former Warrior Arenas hit a technical free throw with less than one second remaining after Nelson had protested a controversial call with the Warriors ahead by a slim margin. The loss dropped them to 26–35.
March 4, 2007 marked the turning point for the Warriors. The Warriors closed out the regular season (42–40) at 16–5 in their last 21 games.
During the run, they beat Eastern top seed Detroit Pistons 111–93, snapping their 6-game losing streak and notching their first win on the tail end of a back-to-back. The Warriors also ended the Dallas Mavericks' 17-game win streak with five players recording double digits. "We Believe" became the Warriors' slogan for the last two months of the season and the playoffs.
On April 22, 2007, the Warriors played their first playoff game in 13 years. Led by a healthy Baron Davis, an ever-improving Jason Richardson and young future star off-guard Monta Ellis as well as center Andris Biedriņš, the Warriors immediately dashed the highly favored top-seed Dallas Mavericks' expectations of a short and easy series win with a Game 1 victory in Dallas thanks to Davis' frantic style of play. MVP Dirk Nowitzki was held to just 4-of-16 shooting, and the Warriors had won 6 straight against the NBA-best, 67 game winning Mavericks. However, the Mavericks came back to win Game 2 easily to tie the series at a game apiece when when both Baron Davis, sometimes referred to as "Boom Dizzle" by fans, and Stephen Jackson, also known as "Captain Jack", were ejected from the game. Despite the loss, the Warriors won both Games 3 & 4 with a huge lift from the home crowd at Oracle Arena, taking a commanding 3–1 series lead and putting the Mavericks on the brink of elimination. A close Game 5 saw the Mavericks eke out a 118–112 victory with a last-minute surge led by superstar forward Dirk Nowitzki to send the series back to Oakland, California at 3–2. The Warriors led by 9 with 2:41 left in the game, but Dallas scored 15 straight points. On May 3, 2007, in Game 6, the Warriors engineered a third-quarter 18–0 run to eliminate the Mavericks and become the NBA's first No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in a seven-game series (and the first NBA No. 8 seed to beat the No. 1 seed since 1999 when the 8th-seeded New York Knicks eliminated the top-seeded Miami Heat). It was an upset in name only, given the fact that the Warriors had swept the Mavericks in the regular-season series. This was the Warriors' first playoff series win in 16 years.
The Warriors went on to play the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2006–07 playoffs, where they dropped two close games at EnergySolutions Arena to open the series. The series then shifted to the Oracle Arena, where the Warriors won Game 3 in a convincing blowout. Davis scored 32 points and electrified the crowd with a monster dunk on Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko late in the fourth quarter, but they lost Game 4 at home, their first loss in Oakland in well over a month and the Jazz closed them out in Game 5 in Salt Lake City. The Jazz closed out the Warriors in Game 5 in Salt Lake City, advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1998, where they would go on to lose to the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in five games. In the end, the physical play of the Jazz simply wore down the smaller Warriors.
2007–2009: Rebuilding
In the 2007–08 season, the Warriors faced early difficulties in their attempt to return to the playoffs. Richardson was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for rookie Brandan Wright. To make things even worse, Jackson was suspended for seven games over a firearm incident. They opened the season with six straight losses, but Ellis' rise, Davis' solid injury-free season (21.6 points, 8 assists, 4.6 rebounds per game), and an overall improvement in team chemistry brought them back to playoff contention; but in the end the Warriors failed to make the playoffs despite a 48–34 record, which is the best record in NBA history for a non-playoff team since the NBA playoffs had expanded to eight teams per conference. The Western Conference was very strong that season; every playoff team won 50 games, leaving the Warriors two games out of the last playoff spot. The Warriors sold out nearly every home game during the season averaging 19,631 per game, the highest in team history.
In the 2008 off-season, Baron Davis opted to return to his home town in Los Angeles and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. With the 14th pick of that year's draft, the Warriors selected and signed Anthony Randolph out of LSU. To compensate for the loss of Davis, the Warriors signed free agents Corey Maggette and Ronny Turiaf and re-signed Ellis and Andris Biedriņš to long-term contracts.
The Warriors had a disappointing 2008–09 season, finishing 29–53. Ellis was injured in a moped accident, and suspended for 30 games for riding the vehicle against the terms of his contract, depriving the Warriors of their top player. They traded disenchanted forward Al Harrington to the New York Knicks for guard Jamal Crawford, and were undone by injuries and the minimal experience of their young players such as Anthony Morrow and Brandan Wright. Coach Nelson often had to make adjustments to the starting lineups since many of the original starters missed games due to injuries. Despite the team's losing record, the Warriors were hard to beat when they had a healthy lineup and a strong bench. With leadership and improvement in their young players, they were sometimes able to defeat powerhouse teams such as the Boston Celtics, 99–89.
2009–present: The Stephen Curry era
2009–2012: Continued struggles and good draft choices
Stephen Curry was drafted by the Golden State Warriors seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. Many analysts and players have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history, and he is credited with revolutionizing the game of basketball by inspiring teams to regularly utilize the three-point shot.
The Warriors chose future superstar point guard Stephen Curry of Davidson College with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. During the 2009 off-season, Warrior ownership declined to renew the contract of general manager Chris Mullin. Larry Riley, Nelson's longtime assistant coach, was promoted in his place; Riley drafted Curry and traded Jamal Crawford to the Atlanta Hawks for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton.
The Warriors had another injury-prone year in 2009–10 as they were consistently unable to field their ideal starting lineup. In November, a malcontented Stephen Jackson and seldom-used Acie Law were traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell (out for the season with an injury) and Vladimir Radmanovic. Four days later, they signed center Chris Hunter. Starting in January 2010, they issued multiple 10-day contracts, most notably to power forward Anthony Tolliver from the Idaho Stampede. Due to their multiple injuries, they were granted an exception allowing them to sign Reggie Williams from the Sioux Falls Skyforce to a 10-day contract on March 2. They eventually waived the injured Bell to sign Williams for the rest of the year and finished the season 26–56, failing to make the playoffs. Curry finished second in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting to the Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Golden State Warriors logo 2010–2019.
The Warriors selected Ekpe Udoh, a power forward from Baylor, as the 6th pick of the 2010 NBA draft. They also introduced a modernized version of their "The City" logo depicting the new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, and switched to a simplified color scheme of royal blue and gold. They also introduced new uniforms reminiscent of the 1969–71 "The City" uniforms. The Warriors made an off-season trade that sent Turiaf, Randolph and Kelenna Azubuike to the New York Knicks in return for star high-scoring power forward David Lee via a sign-and-trade. Lee agreed to a six-year, $80 million deal, on a framework contingent on the decision of superstar forward LeBron James to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with the Miami Heat that same day. Following Morrow's departure after he signed the New Jersey Nets' offer sheet, the Warriors signed Dorell Wright, formerly with the Miami Heat, to a three-year, $11 million deal.
On July 15, 2010, owner Chris Cohan sold the Warriors to Peter Guber of Mandalay Entertainment and his partner Joe Lacob for a then-record $450 million. On November 15, the Warriors announced the new 19-person ownership group composed of Joe Lacob, Peter Guber, Vivek Ranadivé, Erika Glazer, Fred Harman, Bob Piccinini, Larry Bowman, Danny German, Marty Glick, Chad Hurley, Craig R. Johnson, Bruce Karsh, Jeffrey A. Miller, Paul Schaeffer, David Scially, Nick Swinmurn, Harry Tsao, John Walecka, and Dennis Wong.
The Warriors continued their 2010 off-season signing spree by adding Harvard guard Jeremy Lin to their roster with a one-year partially guaranteed contract containing a second-year team option; Lin became the first Taiwanese-American player in NBA history. Louis Amundson was then added for little under $5 million in mid-September. After coach Don Nelson resigned in September 2010, assistant coach Keith Smart was hired as the team's new head coach.
The Warriors won 36 games and failed to make the playoffs in 2010–11. The team broke a franchise record with 21 made three-pointers in a win against the Orlando Magic. In February 2011, the Warriors traded Brandan Wright and Dan Gadzuric for Troy Murphy and a 2011 second-round pick. On February 27, Murphy and the Warriors reached a buyout agreement and he was waived. In April 2011, Dorell Wright made a franchise record of 184 three-pointers in a season in a home win versus Los Angeles Lakers, surpassing Richardson's 183 in 2005–06. In a win against the Portland Trail Blazers, Wright then broke another NBA record, becoming the first player to have scored more points in his seventh season than in all his first six seasons combined. Wright ended the season with the most three-pointers made in the NBA that season with 194, as well as the most three-pointers attempted with 516; each mark set a new Warriors franchise record. Following the season, Curry received the NBA Sportsmanship Award. Coach Smart was dismissed on April 27, 2011 due to the change in ownership. Seventeen-year NBA veteran and former ABC and ESPN commentator Mark Jackson replaced Smart as head coach on June 6.
Klay Thompson was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Along with fellow Splash Brother Stephen Curry, Thompson is credited as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.
The Warriors selected future All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson with the 11th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. However, the team did not improve in the 2011–12 NBA season under coach Jackson, finishing the lockout-shortened season with a 23–43 record (13th in the conference) and again failing to make the playoffs. Due to the 2011 NBA lockout, Jackson could not establish his system in training camp. Hindered by several injuries to key players, the team then entered into another chaotic rebuilding phase. Team leader Monta Ellis was traded in mid-March 2012, along with Kwame Brown and Ekpe Udoh, to the Milwaukee Bucks for center Andrew Bogut (out injured for the season) and former Warrior small forward Stephen Jackson, who without playing a game for the Warriors was quickly traded to the San Antonio Spurs for Richard Jefferson and a conditional first-round pick on March 15. These moves saw the rise of Stephen Curry and David Lee to team co-captains, and saw Thompson move into a starting role. However, Curry suffered a series of ankle and foot-related injuries that limited him to 26 regular-season games.
2012–2014: Moving towards success
Draymond Green was selected with the 35th pick in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. Green has been cited as one of the leaders in an emerging trend in the NBA of versatile frontcourt players capable of playing and defending multiple positions, making plays for teammates, and spacing the floor.
The Warriors' 2012 off-season moves changed the course of the franchise. In the 2012 Draft, the Warriors selected small forward Harrison Barnes with the 7th overall pick, center Festus Ezeli with the 30th pick, small forward Draymond Green with the 35th pick, and 7-foot-1 center Ognjen Kuzmic with the 52nd pick. According to sportswriter Anthony Slater, in this draft, "Golden State got a starter [Barnes], a rotation player [Ezeli] and a transcendent talent that perfectly fit the small-ball direction of the league [Green]." In addition, Curry agreed to a four-year, $44 million rookie scale contract extension.[42] At the time, many basketball writers considered the move risky for Golden State because of Curry's injury history. In 2016, however, Slater argued that Curry's relatively inexpensive contract paid "huge dividends" by freeing up the necessary funds to allow the team to "keep a strong core around him". The team made a series of other moves, trading Dorell Wright, obtaining point guard Jarrett Jack, and signing forward Carl Landry.
Despite early-season injuries to Brandon Rush and Andrew Bogut, and despite starting two rookies (Barnes and Ezeli), the 2012–13 Warriors had one of their best starts in decades. The team earned 20 wins in less than 30 games played for the first time since 1992. The Warriors also achieved a milestone by completing their first ever 6–1 road trip in franchise history, including a 97–95 win over the defending champion Heat in Miami. On April 9, 2013, with a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Warriors clinched the playoffs for the second time in 19 years and the first time since the 2006–07 "We Believe" Warriors. This time, the local battle cry was "We Belong". The team finished the season with a record of 47–35, earning the sixth seed in the Western Conference, and defeated the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs by winning four out of six games. They lost in the second round to the San Antonio Spurs, four games to two. This was the first playoff experience for all of the starters of this group except for Andrew Bogut.[44] Other highlights of the season included Stephen Curry's 272 three-point baskets (an NBA single-season record for the player nicknamed "baby-faced assassin") and the naming of forward David Lee to the 2013 NBA All-Star Game as a reserve, ending the team's 16-year drought without an All Star selection. Curry and Klay Thompson, dubbed the "Splash Brothers" by team employee Brian Witt for their backcourt shooting prowess, combined for 483 three-pointers during the season, easily besting the prior record of 435 set by the Orlando Magic's Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott in 1995–96.
During the 2013 off-season, Golden State signed former Denver Nuggets swingman and future NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala to a four-year, $48 million deal. To make room under the salary cap, the Warriors traded Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedriņš and Brandon Rush (along with multiple draft picks) to the Utah Jazz. With their lone selection in the 2013 NBA draft, the Warriors made 22-year-old Serbian combo-guard Nemanja Nedovic the 30th and final pick of the first round. Other off-season changes included the departure of free agents Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry and the signings of forward-center Marreese Speights,[49] center Jermaine O'Neal, point guard Toney Douglas, and Serbian center Ognjen Kuzmic.
The Warriors began the 2013–14 season showing flashes of brilliance and also plenty of lapses. In early December their record was 12–9, as compared to 17–4 the year before. One challenging factor was a tough starting schedule that saw them play 14 of their first 22 games on the road, including 10 games against teams holding playoff spots in the standings. A stream of injuries also held the team back, including injuries to Ezeli, Douglas, and O'Neal. Most prominently of all, Iguodala suffered a hamstring pull in late November that kept him out for over a month; during this period, the Warriors' performance suffered significantly on both the defensive and offensive ends of the court and the team posted a losing 5–7 record while revealing a lack of bench depth. With Iguodala back in the lineup, the Warriors went on a 10-game winning streak that included six consecutive wins on a single road trip, tying an NBA record. The winning streak was the longest for the franchise since the 1975 championship year, and fell just one win short of the team record of 11 consecutive wins.
To strengthen their underperforming bench, the Warriors made a three-team trade on January 15, sending Douglas to the Miami Heat and picking up guards Jordan Crawford and MarShon Brooks from the Boston Celtics.[54] A day before the trade deadline, the Warriors traded Kent Bazemore and Brooks to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for veteran point guard Steve Blake. Boosted by the additions of Blake and Crawford and the play of 35-year-old Jermaine O'Neal (who returned sooner than expected from wrist surgery), the Warriors were one of the winningest teams in the NBA after the All-Star break. On April 11, in a 112–95 stomping of the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center, the Warriors clinched a playoff berth in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1991 and 1992. However, just one day earlier in a loss against the Portland Trail Blazers, Andrew Bogut suffered a cracked rib that would keep him out of the post-season; the injury dealt a big blow to the sixth-seed Warriors' playoff hopes.
Even as the team rolled towards the post-season, signs emerged of trouble in the Warriors' front office. On March 25, the team reassigned assistant coach Brian Scalabrine to the team's NBA Development League Affiliate in Santa Cruz because of what head coach Mark Jackson called a "difference in philosophies" and what unnamed league sources cited by Yahoo! Sports called "an increasingly dysfunctional atmosphere" on the Warriors' coaching staff.[57] Fewer than two weeks later, assistant coach Darren Erman was fired for secretly recording conversations between coaches, staff and players.
The Warriors ended the season with a record of 51–31. The team won more than 50 games for only the fourth time in franchise history, finished 20 games over .500 for the first time in 22 years, and tied the 1991–92 squad for the franchise's all-time mark of 24 wins on the road. Even without Bogut, the Warriors battled the third-seed Los Angeles Clippers to a seventh and deciding game in the first round of the playoffs before their 2013–14 season came to an end. It was season of many thrilling moments; the Warriors played in 17 regular-season games decided by two points or less, six games decided by winning shots in the final three seconds, and seven comeback wins in which the Warriors had been behind by 15 or more points. Curry also made his first appearance in the All-Star Game in 2014. Curry and Klay Thompson continued to set league records in three-point shooting. Curry, who finished the season with 261 threes, set an individual record for most three-pointers in a span of two seasons with 533, surpassing the previous mark of 478 set by former Seattle SuperSonics legend Ray Allen in 2004–05 and 2005–06. Together, Thompson and Curry combined for 484 threes on the year, besting by one the NBA record they had set the year before.
2014–2019: The Dynasty
Jackson was fired as coach on May 6, 2014, despite a unanimous declaration of support from his players and a three-year 121–109 (.526) record that marked a major turnaround and placed him fourth on the franchise's all-time wins list, trailing Alvin Attles (557), Don Nelson (422) and Eddie Gottlieb (263). Over the 17 years before Jackson took the helm in 2011, the franchise had averaged 30.2 wins per season and made the playoffs only once. Jackson became just the third Warriors head coach to notch at least 50 wins in a season, joining Nelson and Attles, who both hit the mark twice.
On May 14, 2014, the Golden State Warriors signed Steve Kerr to a reported five-year, $25 million deal to become the team's new head coach. It was the first head-coach job for Kerr, 48, a five-time NBA champion guard who set an all-time career record for accuracy in three-point shooting (.454). Kerr had served as president and general manager for the Phoenix Suns basketball team from 2007 to 2010, and had recently been working as an NBA broadcast analyst for Turner Network Television (TNT). The Warriors also signed point guard Shaun Livingston and guard Leandro Barbosa during the off-season.
The Warriors completed the 2014–2015 regular season with a league-best record of 67–15, setting a Warriors record for wins. The team finished with a home record of 39–2, second-best in NBA history. The team ranked first in defensive efficiency for the season and second in offensive efficiency, barely missing the mark that the Julius Erving-led Sixers achieved by being first in both offensive and defensive efficiency. On May 4, 2015, Stephen Curry was named the 2014–15 NBA Most Valuable Player, the first Warrior to win the award since Wilt Chamberlain in 1960.
The Warriors swept the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the playoffs, defeated Memphis Grizzlies in six games in the second round, and dispatched Houston Rockets in five games in the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors advanced to their first NBA Finals since 1975. The team's opponent was the Cleveland Cavaliers, who would later go on to face the Warriors in each of the next three consecutive NBA Finals. After Golden State fell behind 2–1 in the series, Kerr gave swingman Andre Iguodala his first start of the season, replacing center Andrew Bogut in Game 4. The Warriors' small lineup (which came to be known as the Death Lineup) helped turn the series around. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in six games, and Iguodala was named Finals MVP. Kerr became the first rookie coach to win a title since Pat Riley in 1981–82.
Other highlights of the 2014–15 season included Stephen Curry breaking his own record for three-pointers made in a single season with 286. He and Klay Thompson made a combined 525 three-pointers, the most by a duo in NBA history. In the postseason, Curry shattered Reggie Miller's record of 58 made three-pointers in a single postseason with 98. On January 23, 2015, Klay Thompson broke an NBA record for points in a quarter with 37 in the third. Curry was also the leader in the voting polls for the 2015 NBA All-Star Game, won the 2014–15 NBA Most Valuable Player award and the 2015 ESPYs Best Male Athlete award.
On July 27, 2015, David Lee—who had lost his starting power forward job to Draymond Green during the season—was traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Gerald Wallace and Chris Babb; Golden State was seeking to offload his salary given his limited role on the team.
The Warriors began the 2015–2016 regular season by winning their first 24 games, the best start in NBA history. This surpassed the previous record of 15–0 by the 1948–49 Washington Capitols and the 1993–94 Houston Rockets, and broke a 131-year-old record of 20–0 set by the 1884 St. Louis Maroons baseball team, to claim the best start to a season in all of the major professional sports in America. These 24 wins included the best road start in NBA history at 14–0, surpassing the 1969–70 New York Knicks, which was also the joint-third longest road win streak. Their record-setting start ended when they were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks on December 12, 2015. Golden State also won 28 consecutive regular-season games dating back to the 2014–15 season, eclipsing the 2012–13 Miami Heat for the second longest winning streak in NBA history. The team set an NBA record with 54 consecutive regular-season home wins, which spanned from January 31, 2015 to March 29, 2016; the previous record of 44 was held by the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls team led by Michael Jordan.
On March 31, 2016, the Warriors won their 68th win of the season in an overtime game over the Utah Jazz, breaking the franchise record for most wins in a single season in franchise history. On April 13, 2016, after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 125–104, Golden State set the NBA record for most wins in a single season. The team finished the season with a record of 73–9, surpassing the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls' record of 72–10. On May 10, 2016, Stephen Curry was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second straight season. Curry is the 11th player to win back-to-back MVP honors and became the first player in NBA history to win the MVP award by unanimous vote, winning all 131 first-place votes. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson were all named to the 2016 All-Star Game. Green broke the Golden State franchise record of nine triple-doubles in a season. Curry broke numerous three-point records during the season, including his own NBA record for made three-pointers in a season of 286; he finished the season with 402 three-pointers. He made a three-pointer in 151 consecutive games, which broke the NBA record of 127 set by Kyle Korver in 2014. On February 27, 2016, Curry also tied the NBA record of twelve three-pointers made in a single game, jointly holding it with Donyell Marshall and Kobe Bryant.
The Warriors reached the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year, facing a rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors won three of the first four games of the 2016 NBA Finals, but the Cavaliers made a comeback to tie the series at three wins apiece. Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5 of the series, and Curry was ejected from Game 6. In Game 7, the Warriors lost the series 93–89 on their home court, earning the ignominious distinction of becoming the first team to lose the NBA Finals after having led three games to one.
Kevin Durant, as a free agent, signed with the Warriors in July 2016. Durant helped the Warriors win back-to-back NBA championships in 2017 and 2018, winning NBA Finals MVP in both years.
July 2016 featured a series of significant player transactions. On July 4, 2016, Kevin Durant announced that he would leave the Oklahoma City Thunder to sign a two-year contract with the Golden State Warriors. On July 7, Durant signed his contract, which gave the Warriors a fourth All-NBA player on their team. The Durant signing made the Warriors prohibitive favorites to win the 2017 NBA championship, according to oddsmakers. On July 9, 2016, free-agent forward Harrison Barnes signed with the Dallas Mavericks. Centers Festus Ezeli and Marreese Speights left the Warriors for other teams, as did guard Leandro Barbosa. Center Andrew Bogut was traded, along with a future second-round pick, to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for a future conditional second-round pick. Veteran power forward David West signed with the Warriors, as did free-agent center Zaza Pachulia.
The Warriors posted many notable achievements during the 2016–17 regular season. On November 7, 2016, Stephen Curry set the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a game with 13, in a 116–106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. On December 5, 2016, Klay Thompson scored 60 points in 29 minutes, in a 142–106 victory over the Indiana Pacers. In doing so, Thompson became the first player in NBA history to score 60 or more points in fewer than 30 minutes of playing time. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson were all named to the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, making the Warriors only the eighth team in NBA history to have four All-Stars. On February 10, 2017, Draymond Green recorded a triple-double with 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals, becoming the first player in NBA history to post a triple-double with fewer than 10 points. On March 2, 2017, the Warriors' streak for most games without back-to-back losses ended at 146 with a 94–87 loss to the Chicago Bulls. The streak eclipsed the previous record of 95 held by the Utah Jazz.
The Warriors earned home-court advantage throughout the 2017 playoffs, thanks to a 2016–17 regular-season record of 67–15. They were the first team in NBA playoff history to start the playoffs 12–0, defeating and sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers, the Utah Jazz, and the San Antonio Spurs in consecutive series. The 2017 Finals once again pitted the Warriors against the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming the first time in NBA history that the same two teams met in the Finals for three consecutive years. The Warriors won the championship after going 4–1 in the Finals, and their 16–1 playoff record garnered the best winning percentage (.941) in NBA playoffs history. The victory at Oracle Arena to secure the title was the first title victory by a Bay Area team at home since the Oakland Athletics won the World Series in the Oakland–Alameda Coliseum in 1974, capping off a three-peat World Series run. After the Warriors announced that they were uncertain if they would make the customary visit to the White House by playoff champions, President Donald Trump rescinded his invitation. The team still planned to travel to Washington, D.C. to "celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion." Planned activities included meeting with local youth and a visit to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture.
In 2018, the Warriors went into the 2018 playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference after earning a 2017–18 regular-season record of 58–24. After defeating both the San Antonio Spurs and the New Orleans Pelicans 4–1, the Warriors came up against the top-seeded Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. Despite reaching a 3–2 disadvantage against the Rockets after Game 5, the Warriors staved off elimination and came back to win the series 4–3, winning the Western Conference for the 4th straight year. The 2018 Finals pitted the Warriors against the Cavaliers for the fourth consecutive season; this marked the first time in NBA history that the same two teams had met in the Finals for four consecutive years. The Warriors swept the Cavaliers to win their second straight NBA championship; previously, there had not been an NBA Finals sweep since 2007 where the Cavs were also the losing team against the Spurs. On August 30, 2018, David West announced his retirement from the NBA after 15 seasons. Following the 2018 NBA Finals, writers for Sports Illustrated, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Daily News described the Warriors as a dynasty.
In 2019, the Warriors made their 5th consecutive NBA Finals, in hopes of accomplishing a three-peat, in which the Los Angeles Lakers was the last team to have accomplished the feat, back in 2000-2002. The Warriors met the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals, who were making their first NBA Finals appearance in the franchise history. However, significant injuries befell two of the Warriors' star players during the Finals: Kevin Durant (ruptured Achilles) in Game 5, and Klay Thompson (ACL tear) in Game 6. Losing two of their key players to injuries proved significantly detrimental for the Warriors, as they would go on to lose the Finals to the Raptors in six games, ending their bid for a three-peat.
The offseason saw the departures of many of the Warriors' key players. Kevin Durant left in a sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets, with the Warriors acquiring All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell as part of the deal. DeMarcus Cousins and Quinn Cook both signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Andre Iguodala was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, and Shaun Livingston was waived. With all of these moves, the Warriors dynasty that headlined the mid-late 2010s was dismantled.
2019–2022: Move from Oakland back to San Francisco, struggles with injuries and rebuilding
In April 2014, the Warriors began the purchase process for a 12-acre (4.9 ha) site in Mission Bay, San Francisco, to hold a new 18,000-seat arena which is expected to be ready beginning with the 2019–20 season, with construction to begin in early 2016. The sale was finalized in October 2015. The location was selected after an original proposal to construct the arena on Piers 30 and 32, just south of the Bay Bridge, met with vocal opposition due to concerns about traffic, environmental impacts and obstruction of views. The new location, which still faces some vocal opposition in San Francisco, apparently eliminates the need for any voter approval, which would have been required with the original site. Some type of waterfront park is planned across from the projected arena, which will be located at an already-existing Muni T-Third stop. The Central Subway, originally planned to open in 2018 and later postponed for 2019, may provide a direct connection between the new site and the downtown Powell Street Muni/BART station. Although the Warriors considered a name change, possibly returning to their former name of San Francisco Warriors, it was ultimately decided that they would remain the Golden State Warriors upon their return to San Francisco. On January 27, 2016, it was announced that the Warriors' new arena would be called Chase Center as part of an agreement with JPMorgan Chase. Approximately 32 months after the January 2017 groundbreaking, the Warriors were expected to take over full control of Chase Center from the two joint construction contractor firms responsible for the building of the arena and attached locations on August 1, 2019, with opening events the following month. On August 2, 2019, Golden State Warriors President and COO Rick Welts was presented with the key to Chase Center.
The Warriors played their first regular-season game at Chase Center on October 24, 2019, in a 141–122 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Despite lofty expectations, the Warriors got off to a 4–16 start, their worst since the 2000 season. Injuries were a major reason for the poor start. All-Star SG Klay Thompson missed the entire regular season with an ACL tear he suffered during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. Stephen Curry was injured on October 30, 2019, which required surgery to repair his broken second metacarpal and was out for five months before making his return in March 2020. This, along with Thompson's injury rehab keeping him out the entire year, caused the Warriors to fall into a downward spiral to the worst record in the NBA.
With their 33rd loss against the Dallas Mavericks on January 14, 2020, they failed to reach 50 wins for the first time since 2013. From the end of December to the middle of January, the Warriors suffered a 10-game losing streak, the first time they have lost 10 games in a row since 2002. They also suffered their first losing season since 2012 following their 42nd loss to the Miami Heat. With their March 10, 2020 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and missed the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014, ending their run of five consecutive Finals appearances.
However, they saw second-round pick Eric Paschall, two-way player Damion Lee, and training camp pickup Marquese Chriss establish themselves as rotation players. At the trade deadline, the Warriors traded Russell, 2018 first-round pick Jacob Evans, and recent acquisition Omari Spellman to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, a top 3 protected first-round pick, and a second-round pick, in an attempt to avoid paying the luxury tax. Curry returned for one game on March 5 before the season was suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Warriors were not one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble on June 4, which ended their 2019-20 season.
In the 2020 NBA Draft lottery, the Warriors landed the 2nd Overall Pick to the draft on which they drafted Memphis center James Wiseman. They also drafted Nico Mannion with the 48th Overall Pick. Just as the 2020–21 NBA season was about to begin, guard Klay Thompson was reported to miss the incoming season due to a Achilles tendon injury making the second season he missed in his career. At the beginning of the season against the Nets, Curry would drop 20 points to a 99-125 loss to the Nets. They would start the first 20 games of the season 11-9 and would go on to finish the regular season with a 39-33 record, qualifying for the new NBA Play-in-Tournament against the seventh seeded defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. Curry would go on to win his second scoring title for the season after dropping 32.0 points per game and was in the NBA Most Valuable Player conversation alongside Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and Nuggets' Nikola Jokić, who would go on to win the award. The Warriors would, however, be eliminated from the playoffs after losing two play-in tournament games to the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers who would become the seventh seed, and the Memphis Grizzlies, originally the ninth seed, who would go on to face the Jazz after winning the play-in against the Warriors. This was the second consecutive year that the Warriors would miss the playoffs.
2021–2022: Return to the NBA Finals and 7th NBA championship
With the 2021 NBA Draft lottery, the Warriors would land the 7th pick in the draft from the Minnesota Timberwolves from the D'Angelo Russell trade, and their own 14th overall pick. With the 7th overall pick, the Warriors would select NBA G League Ignite forward Jonathan Kuminga and with the 14th overall pick, the Warriors would select Arkansas guard Moses Moody. The Warriors would re-sign Curry a 4-year extension deal that is worth up to $215 million. After finalizing and legitimizing deals, the Warriors would acquire Magic forward Otto Porter Jr. and Heat forward Nemanja Bjelica to one year deals. On August 10, 2021, Andre Iguodala signed a deal and would be coming back to the Bay Area.
On December 14, 2022 Stephen Curry hit five three-pointers against the New York Knicks to reach 2,977, which surpassed Ray Allen's career total of 2,973 for most three-pointers made in NBA history in the regular season. Earlier in the season against the Chicago Bulls, Curry hit nine three-pointers to reach 3,366 which broke Allen's record of 3,358 for most three-pointers made in NBA history, regular season and postseason combined.
In January 2022, the team faced controversy after its part owner, Chamath Palihapitiya, repeatedly stated on a podcast that he did not care about the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs in China. The team distanced themselves from Palihapitiya stating that he "does not speak on behalf of our franchise, and his views certainly don't reflect those of our organization." The Warriors' statement was criticized for not mentioning the Uyghurs or the Uyghur genocide.
On January 9, 2022, Klay Thompson made his season debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing the previous two seasons due to various injuries. He missed the 2019–20 season due to a left ACL tear, and the 2020–21 season due to a right Achilles tendon tear. He recorded 17 points and 3 rebounds in a 96–82 win.
Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green were named to the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, however, Green did not play in the game due to injury. On February 20, Team LeBron defeated Team Durant in the All-Star Game and Curry, playing for Team LeBron, was named the All-Star Game MVP. This is the fifth time that a Warriors player has won the award. He scored 50 points, and set numerous All-Star Game records, including most three pointers made (16), and most all-time three pointers made in the All-Star Game (47).
The Warriors clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2018–19 season after a 111–107 win over the Utah Jazz on April 2, 2022.
The Warriors finished the regular season with a 53–29 record, clinching the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Warriors faced the 6th-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round. The two teams previously met in the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, where conversely, the 6th-seeded Warriors defeated the 3rd-seeded Nuggets in six games. The Warriors defeated the Nuggets in five games, winning their first playoff series since 2019, advancing to the semifinals, where they faced the 2nd seeded Memphis Grizzlies. The two teams previously met in the semifinals of the 2015 NBA Playoffs, with the Warriors winning in six games en route to winning their first NBA championship in 40 years. Just like in their previous playoff meeting and in an upset, the Warriors defeated the Grizzlies in six games to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2019, where they faced the 4th-seeded Dallas Mavericks. The two teams previously met in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, in which the 8th-seeded "We Believe" Warriors upset the top-seeded, 67-win Mavericks in six games. The Warriors defeated the Mavericks in five games to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019, their sixth NBA Finals appearance in eight seasons, becoming to first team since the Chicago Bulls from 1991 to 1998 to accomplish this feat. Also with the win, the Warriors under Steve Kerr have never lost a Western Conference playoff series, going 18–0 during this span, tied with the 1959–67 Boston Celtics for the longest playoff win streak in NBA history against their conference opponents. In the Finals, the Warriors faced the Boston Celtics in a rematch of the 1964 NBA Finals, in which the Celtics defeated the then-San Francisco Warriors in five games to win their sixth consecutive NBA championship. This time, however, the Warriors defeated the Celtics in six games to win their first NBA championship since 2018, their fourth NBA championship in eight years, and their 7th overall in franchise history. Stephen Curry was named NBA Finals MVP for the first time in his career.
Season-by-season records
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, % = Percentage
| Season | W | L | % | Playoffs | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Warriors (BAA) | |||||
| 1946-47 | 35 | 25 | .583 | Won First Round Won Conference Finals Won BAA Finals |
Philadelphia 2, St. Louis 1 Philadelphia 2, New York 0 Philadelphia 4, Chicago 1 |
| 1947-48 | 27 | 21 | .563 | Won BAA Semifinals Lost BAA Finals |
Philadelphia 4, St. Louis 3 Baltimore 4, Philadelphia 2 |
| 1948-49 | 28 | 32 | .355 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Washington 2, Philadelphia 0 |
| Philadelphia Warriors (NBA) | |||||
| 1949-50 | 26 | 42 | .382 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Syracuse 2, Philadelphia 0 |
| 1950-51 | 40 | 26 | .606 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Syracuse 2, Philadelphia 0 |
| 1951-52 | 33 | 33 | .500 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Syracuse 2, Philadelphia 1 |
| 1952-53 | 12 | 57 | .174 | ||
| 1953-54 | 29 | 43 | .403 | ||
| 1954-55 | 33 | 39 | .458 | ||
| 1955-56 | 45 | 27 | .625 | Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Philadelphia 3, Syracuse 2 Philadelphia 4, Fort Wayne 1 |
| 1956-57 | 37 | 35 | .514 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Syracuse 2, Philadelphia 0 |
| 1957-58 | 37 | 35 | .514 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Philadelphia 2, Syracuse 1 Boston 4, Philadelphia 1 |
| 1958-59 | 32 | 40 | .444 | ||
| 1959-60 | 49 | 26 | .653 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Philadelphia 2, Syracuse 1 Boston 4, Philadelphia 2 |
| 1960-61 | 46 | 33 | .582 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Syracuse 3, Philadelphia 0 |
| 1961-62 | 49 | 31 | .613 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Philadelphia 3, Syracuse 2 Boston 4, Philadelphia 3 |
| San Francisco Warriors | |||||
| 1962-63 | 31 | 49 | .388 | ||
| 1963-64 | 48 | 32 | .600 | Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
San Francisco 4, St. Louis 3 Boston 4, San Francisco 1 |
| 1964-65 | 17 | 63 | .213 | ||
| 1965-66 | 35 | 45 | .438 | ||
| 1966-67 | 44 | 37 | .543 | Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
San Francisco 3, Los Angeles 0 San Francisco 4, St. Louis 2 Philadelphia 4, San Francisco 2 |
| 1967-68 | 43 | 39 | .524 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
San Francisco 4, St. Louis 2 Los Angeles 4, San Francisco 0 |
| 1968-69 | 41 | 41 | .500 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Los Angeles 4, San Francisco 2 |
| 1969-70 | 30 | 52 | .366 | ||
| 1970-71 | 41 | 41 | .500 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Milwaukee 4, San Francisco 1 |
| Golden State Warriors | |||||
| 1971-72 | 51 | 34 | .622 | Lost Conference Semifinals | Milwaukee 4, Golden State 1 |
| 1972-73 | 47 | 35 | .573 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Golden State 4, Milwaukee 2 Los Angeles 4, Golden State 1 |
| 1973-74 | 44 | 38 | .537 | ||
| 1974-75 | 48 | 34 | .585 | Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Golden State 4, Seattle 2 Golden State 4, Chicago 3 Golden State 4, Washington 0 |
| 1975-76 | 59 | 23 | .720 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Golden State 4, Detroit 2 Phoenix 4, Golden State 3 |
| 1976-77 | 46 | 36 | .561 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Golden State 2, Detroit 1 Los Angeles 4, Golden State 3 |
| 1977-78 | 43 | 39 | .524 | ||
| 1978-79 | 38 | 44 | .463 | ||
| 1979-80 | 24 | 58 | .293 | ||
| 1980-81 | 39 | 43 | .476 | ||
| 1981-82 | 45 | 37 | .549 | ||
| 1982-83 | 30 | 52 | .366 | ||
| 1983-84 | 37 | 45 | .451 | ||
| 1984-85 | 22 | 60 | .268 | ||
| 1985-86 | 30 | 52 | .366 | ||
| 1986-87 | 42 | 40 | .512 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Golden State 3, Utah 2 LA Lakers 4, Golden State 1 |
| 1987-88 | 20 | 62 | .244 | ||
| 1988-89 | 43 | 39 | .524 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Golden State 3, Utah 0 Phoenix 4, Golden State 1 |
| 1989-90 | 37 | 45 | .451 | ||
| 1990-91 | 44 | 38 | .537 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Golden State 3, San Antonio 1 LA Lakers 4, Golden State 1 |
| 1991-92 | 55 | 27 | .671 | Lost First Round | Seattle 3, Golden State 1 |
| 1992-93 | 34 | 48 | .415 | ||
| 1993-94 | 50 | 32 | .610 | Lost First Round | Phoenix 3, Golden State 0 |
| 1994-95 | 26 | 56 | .317 | ||
| 1995-96 | 36 | 46 | .439 | ||
| 1996-97 | 30 | 52 | .366 | ||
| 1997-98 | 19 | 63 | .232 | ||
| 1998-99 | 21 | 29 | .420 | ||
| 1999-00 | 19 | 63 | .232 | ||
| 2000-01 | 17 | 65 | .207 | ||
| 2001-02 | 21 | 61 | .256 | ||
| 2002-03 | 38 | 44 | .463 | ||
| 2003-04 | 37 | 45 | .451 | ||
| 2004-05 | 34 | 48 | .415 | ||
| 2005-06 | 34 | 48 | .415 | ||
| 2006-07 | 42 | 40 | .512 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Golden State 4, Dallas 2 Utah 4, Golden State 1 |
| 2007-08 | 48 | 34 | .585 | ||
| 2008-09 | 29 | 53 | .354 | ||
| 2009-10 | 26 | 56 | .317 | ||
| 2010-11 | 36 | 46 | .439 | ||
| 2011-12 | 23 | 43 | .348 | ||
| 2012-13 | 47 | 35 | .573 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Golden State 4, Denver 2 San Antonio 4, Golden State 2 |
| 2013-14 | 51 | 31 | .622 | Lost First Round | LA Clippers 4, Golden State 3 |
| 2014-15 | 67 | 15 | .817 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Golden State 4, New Orleans 0 Golden State 4, Memphis 2 Golden State 4, Houston 1 Golden State 4, Cleveland 2 |
| 2015–16 | 73 | 9 | .890 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
Golden State 4, Houston 1 Golden State 4, Portland 1 Golden State 4, Oklahoma City 3 Cleveland 4, Golden State 3 |
| 2016-17 | 67 | 15 | .817 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Golden State 4, Portland 0 Golden State 4, Utah 0 Golden State 4, San Antonio 0 Golden State 4, Cleveland 1 |
| 2017-18 | 58 | 24 | .707 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Golden State 4, San Antonio 1 Golden State 4, New Orleans 1 Golden State 4, Houston 3 Golden State 4, Cleveland 0 |
| 2018-19 | 57 | 25 | .695 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
Golden State 4, LA Clippers 2 Golden State 4, Houston 2 Golden State 4, Portland 0 Toronto 4, Golden State 2 |
| 2019-20 | 15 | 50 | .231 | ||
| 2020-21 | 39 | 33 | .542 | Lost Play-in Game for No. 7 seed Lost Play-in Game for No. 8 seed |
LA Lakers 1, Golden State 0 Memphis 1, Golden State 0 |
| 2021-22 | 53 | 29 | .646 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Golden State 4, Denver 1 Golden State 4, Memphis 2 Golden State 4, Dallas 1 Golden State 4, Boston 2 |
| Totals | 2,787 | 2,998 | .485 | ||
| Playoffs | 190 | 159 | .544 | 7 Championships | |
Head coaches
| Coach | Years active |
|---|---|
| Edward Gottlieb | 1946-1955 |
| George Senesky | 1955-1958 |
| Al Cervi | 1958-1959 |
| Neil Johnston | 1959-1961 |
| Frank McGuire | 1961-1962 |
| Bob Feerick | 1962-1963 |
| Alex Hannum | 1963-1966 |
| Bill Sharman | 1966-1968 |
| George Lee | 1968-1970 |
| Al Attles | 1970-1980 |
| Johnny Bach | 1980 |
| Al Attles | 1980-1983 |
| Johnny Bach | 1983-1986 |
| George Karl | 1986-1988 |
| Ed Gregory | 1988 |
| Don Nelson | 1988-1995 |
| Bob Lanier | 1995 |
| Rick Adelman | 1995-1997 |
| P. J. Carlesimo | 1997-1999 |
| Garry St. Jean | 1999-2000 |
| Dave Cowens | 2000-2001 |
| Brian Winters | 2001-2002 |
| Eric Musselman | 2002-2004 |
| Mike Montgomery | 2004-2006 |
| Don Nelson | 2006-2010 |
|
Keith Smart |
2010-2011 |
| Mark Jackson | 2011-2014 |
| Steve Kerr | 2014-Present |
Players of note
Basketball Hall of Famers
- 11 Paul Arizin
- 24 Rick Barry
- 13 Wilt Chamberlain
- 10 Joe Fulks
- 14 Tom Gola
- 6 Neil Johnston
- 16 Jerry Lucas
- 17 Chris Mullin
- 00 Robert Parish
- 17 Andy Phillip
- 42 Nate Thurmond
- Eddie Gottlieb (team founder-owner)
Arizin, Fulks, Gola, Johnston and Phillip played all or most of their tenure with the Warriors in Philadelphia. Chamberlain's tenure was about evenly divided between Philadelphia and San Francisco. Lucas and Parrish were elected mainly for their performances with other teams. Thurmond and Barry are the only Hall-of-Famers who spent significant time with the team since the 1971 move to Oakland and the name change to "Golden State."
Meschery, Attles, Barry, Thurmond and Mullin are also members of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.
Current roster
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Roster |
Not to be forgotten
|
|
|
|
Retired numbers
| Golden State Warriors retired numbers | |||
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Wilt Chamberlain | C | 1959–1965 |
| 14 | Tom Meschery | F | 1961–1967 |
| 16 | Al Attles | G | 1960–1971 |
| 17 | Chris Mullin | G/F | 1985–1997 2000–2001 |
| 24 | Rick Barry | F | 1965–1967 1972–1978 |
| 42 | Nate Thurmond | C | 1963–1974 |
Notes
- Includes Chamberlain's tenure (1959–1962) in Philadelphia.
- Includes Meschery's tenure (1961–1962) in Philadelphia.
- Includes Attles' tenure (1960–1962) in Philadelphia. He also served as head coach (1969–1983).
- Also served as general manager (2004–2009).
- Meschery, Attles, Barry, Thurmond, and Mullin are also members of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.
- In July 2019, the team announced its intentions to retire No. 35 for Kevin Durant and No. 9 for Andre Iguodala when both of them retire.
High points
Franchise leaders
| style="Template:NBA color cell2;" |Category | style="Template:NBA color cell2;" |Player | style="Template:NBA color cell2;" |Statistics |
|---|---|---|
| Games played | Stephen Curry | 826 |
| Points | Stephen Curry | 20,064 |
| Rebounds | Nate Thurmond | 12,771 |
| Assists | Stephen Curry | 5,388 |
| Steals | Stephen Curry | 1,367 |
| Blocks | Adonal Foyle | 1,140 |
| Field goals | Wilt Chamberlain | 7,216 |
| FG percentage | Andris Biedriņš | .594 |
| 3P FGs | Stephen Curry | 3,117 |
| 3P FG Percentage | Anthony Morrow | .460 |
| Free throws | Paul Arizin | 5,010 |
| FT percentage | Stephen Curry | .908 |
| Triple-doubles | Draymond Green | 30 |
| Points per game | Wilt Chamberlain | 41.5 |
| Rebounds per game | Wilt Chamberlain | 25.1 |
| Assists per game | Tim Hardaway | 9.3 |
| Steals per game | Rick Barry | 2.3 |
| Blocks per game | Manute Bol | 3.7 |
Individual awards
- Wilt Chamberlain - 1960
- Stephen Curry - 2015, 2016
NBA Western Conference Finals MVP
- Stephen Curry - 2022
- Woody Sauldsberry - 1958
- Wilt Chamberlain - 1960
- Rick Barry - 1966
- Jamaal Wilkes - 1975
- Mitch Richmond - 1989
- Chris Webber - 1994
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
- Gilbert Arenas - 2003
- Monta Ellis - 2007
NBA Excutive of the Year
- Dick Vertlieb - 1975
- Alex Hannum - 1964
- Don Nelson - 1992
All-NBA First Team
- Joe Fulks - 1947, 1948, 1949
- Howie Dallmar - 1948
- Paul Arizin - 1952, 1956, 1957
- Neil Johnston - 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956
- Wilt Chamberlain - 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964
- Rick Barry - 1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1976
- Chris Mullin - 1992
- Latrell Sprewell - 1994
All-NBA Second Team
- Joe Fulks - 1951
- Andy Phillip - 1952, 1953
- Jack George - 1956
- Neil Johnston - 1957
- Tom Gola - 1958
- Paul Arizin - 1959
- Wilt Chamberlain - 1963
- Rick Barry - 1973
- Phil Smith - 1976
- Bernard King - 1982
- Chris Mullin - 1989, 1991
- Tim Hardaway - 1992
All-NBA Third Team
- Chris Mullin - 1990
- Tim Hardaway - 1993
Template:Column NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Nate Thurmond - 1969, 1971
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Rudy LaRusso - 1969
- Nate Thurmond - 1972, 1973, 1974
- Phil Smith - 1976
- Jamaal Wilkes - 1976, 1977
- E.C. Coleman - 1978
- Latrell Sprewell - 1994
NBA All-Rookie First Team
- Nate Thurmond - 1964
- Fred Hetzel - 1966
- Rick Barry - 1966
- Keith Wilkes - 1975
- Gus Williams - 1976
- Larry Smith - 1981
- Joe Barry Carroll - 1981
- Mitch Richmond - 1989
- Tim Hardaway - 1990
- Billy Owens - 1992
- Chris Webber - 1994
- Joe Smith - 1996
- Marc Jackson - 2001
- Jason Richardson - 2002
NBA All-Rookie Second
- Latrell Sprewell - 1993
- Donyell Marshall - 1995
- Antawn Jamison - 1999
Template:Columns-end
References
External links
- Official
- Golden State Warriors Official Website – Player profile, statistics, biography, and wallpapers.
- Blogs
- Golden State of Mind- Warriors Community + news, hype, rumors, humor, science, history, and fashion
- The W Column - Golden State Warriors analysis on FSN Bay Area
- Message Boards
- WarriorsWorld Forum – Bulletin board to discuss the Golden State Warriors.
- Warriors Roundtable - Message board / Fan Forum for Golden State Warriors.
| Preceded by Inaugural |
BAA Champions Philadelphia Warriors 1947 |
Succeeded by Baltimore Bullets 1948 |
| Preceded by Syracuse Nationals 1955 |
NBA Champions Philadelphia Warriors 1956 |
Succeeded by Boston Celtics 1957 |
| Preceded by Boston Celtics 1974 |
NBA Champions Golden State Warriors 1975 |
Succeeded by Boston Celtics 1976 |
| Preceded by San Antonio Spurs 2014 |
NBA Champions Golden State Warriors 2015 |
Succeeded by Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 |
| Preceded by Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 |
NBA Champions Golden State Warriors 2017 & 2018 |
Succeeded by Toronto Raptors 2019 |
| Preceded by Milwaukee Bucks 2021 |
NBA Champions Golden State Warriors 2022 |
Succeeded by TBA |
NEW
| National Basketball Association | ||||
| Commissioners | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
