NBA Champs planning parade, no decision on White House

Golden State Warriors parade set for Thursday in Oakland

POSTMEDIA NETWORK

OAKLAND, Calif. — After a night of celebrating the Golden State Warriors latest NBA title, fans snapped up victory shirts and hats Tuesday, while Oakland crews were busy hanging championship banners along the parade route.

The parade will take place Thursday morning in downtown Oakland, following the same route as the team’s parade to celebrate the 2015 NBA title.

It will start at 10 a.m. at Broadway and 11th Street, wind through downtown streets and end with a procession to the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center.

Fans are encouraged to line up for the parade and rally as soon as 5 a.m. Thursday and taking public transportation is encouraged.

Following the victory Monday night, warriors’ fans danced in the streets in downtown Oakland and wildly honked their horns in San Francisco.

The party began as soon as Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-120 at Oracle Arena to clinch their second championship in three years.

In San Francisco, people hung out of cars waving blue and gold flags.

Across the bay, in downtown Oakland, about 1,000 people celebrated in the streets, but most were peaceful. Crowds gathered in intersections, including one where cheering fans made a circle to watch several men breakdance. Some climbed street lights, some sprayed champagne and some threw bottles leaving broken glass in streets. Others set off fireworks.

One car was damaged when fans jumped on its roof, police said.

Police issued more than 40 citations and towed at least 30 cars that were driving recklessly on city streets following the win, according to Oakland police spokeswoman Johnna Watson.

Between 400 and 500 spectators and vehicles participated in “sideshow” activity in East Oakland on Monday night and some revelers threw rocks and bottles at officers, though no serious injuries were reported.

The Warriors won the title in 2015 before the Cavaliers made their historic comeback last year. Then it was Golden State’s turn again, taking the title in five games.

The Golden State Warriors say no decision has been made regarding a potential White House visit to celebrate their NBA title.

The Warriors issued a statement Tuesday saying that “today is all about celebrating our championship” and that they have not received an invitation to the White House. The statement added the organization would make those decisions when and if necessary.”

The team issued the statement following multiple reports that the Warriors had voted unanimously against making a White House trip.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed his disappointment with the election results last November saying after the election that U.S. President Donald Trump regularly used “racist, misogynist, insulting words” during his campaign.

Members of the Super champion New England Patriots and national college football champion Clemson have visited the White House for championship celebrations since Trump took office. The Associated Press