The Golden State Warriors Continue to Battle Their Way Back to the NBA Finals By Rick Grantham At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Today, the Golden State Warriors are somewhat of an enigma. Why does their name represent an entire state? Who are the "Warriors" to which their name refers? Have they ever won an NBA championship? Like other NBA teams, the Warriors have a storied history, and one that is definitely worth telling.

Where did the name "Warriors" originate? The NBA team inherited its name from a former ABL squad, the Philadelphia Warriors.

The Warriors made their NBA debut during the 1962-1963 season, though their former name was the San Francisco Warriors. Their team featured Wilt Chamberlain, arguably one of the top NBA players of all time. Nevertheless, the Warriors watched the playoffs from home, after a disappointing 31-49 season. Interestingly, the Cow Palace was the home arena of the Warriors.

Amazingly, 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, earning a record of 48-32. The Warriors outlasted the St. Louis Hawks, after battling it out in a seven-game playoff series. However, the Boston Celtics then steamrolled the Warriors in five games, for the former's sixth consecutive NBA championship.

Just three seasons later during 1966-1967, the San Francisco Warriors had another stellar season. They ended it with a 44-37 record. The Warriors quickly dismissed the Los Angeles Lakers with three consecutive wins, and then needed six games to dispose of the St. Louis Hawks again. Wilt Chamberlain played in the NBA Finals that season, but to the chagrin of the Warriors-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 its name to the "Golden State" Warriors. Since 1968, California's nickname had been "The Golden State." This was due to the 1848 monumental discovery of gold in California.

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 contenders for the NBA championship. Earning a record of 48-34, the Warriors won the Pacific Division crown.

In the playoffs, the Warriors played with a gritty determination. They needed six games to eliminate the Seattle Supersonics. Then, after down 2-0 in their series against the Chicago Bulls, the Warriors battled back to win the series 4-3. Although the NBA Finals games against the Washington Bullets were tight (two games had a 1-point spread), the Warriors swept the Bullets in the series 4-0.

Though lacking the broad following of other NBA teams, the Golden State Warriors have remained a solid team throughout their history, making three trips to the NBA's championship series. Use Golden State Warriors merchandise to cheer on the Warriors as they continue to battle their way back to the NBA Finals

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