Our View: A dry spell ends, and a Golden State cheers
Forty years is a long time to wander in the wilderness, but the wait was worth it. Virtually all of California applauded Tuesday night as the Golden State Warriors won their first NBA championship since 1975.
In a world better known for Hollywood-sized egos, it was a victory for teamwork. It wasn’t just rookie Steve Kerr’s creative coaching, or the superb offensive skills of Stephen Curry, or the defensive intensity of Andre Iguodala – though all surely were factors.
Rather, everyone played a role. Or, as the Warriors’ playoff motto put it, there was “strength in numbers.” There was Draymond Green, with his team-leading 11 rebounds as part of a spectacular triple-double. There was Nick U’Ren, Kerr’s 28-year-old assistant, whom the coach credited, graciously, with the key strategy change in midseries.
Iguodala, the eventual series MVP, had been a starter his entire career until this season, when Kerr asked him to contribute off the bench. He did as asked, no grumbling. His first start for the Warriors didn’t come until Game 4 of the Finals. And all he was asked to do in that start was slow down LeBron James.
The Warriors led the NBA in assists, both in the season and in the playoffs. In postgame interviews, it was inspiring to hear each player credit his teammates first.
Maybe that’s why it wasn’t so hard for Californians beyond Oakland to set aside regional rivalries and pull for a team that was for so long a perennial non-contender. After toiling for all those years in that old arena, in that far working-class city east of the Bay, the Warriors had a secret weapon – they could be humble. It’s hard not to celebrate a victory for such a team.
Cleveland yearned, too; their wait – they’ve never been the NBA champions – has endured even longer than Oakland’s. The team had soldiered through the loss of two stars. An undrafted, unheralded players stepped up and provided a great story line. But in the end, not James, who called himself, not inaccurately, the “best player in the world,” could save them. Though “King” James’ play was a thing of beauty, it takes more than one great athlete to win a title.
If you insist on looking for larger lessons or messages in this championship victory, here’s one: It was dedication, common purpose and forebearance of failure that delivered victory to the Warriors. Many on this team had endured the difficult years of rebuilding and frustration. But in the end, they celebrated joyfully as a team.
As a state, we’re struggling to deal with the effects of a four-year drought. It will take a team effort for any of us to succeed.
This story was originally published June 17, 2015 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Our View: A dry spell ends, and a Golden State cheers."