Making history
Warriors reach NBA Finals for 6th time in 8 years
May 27—They barged into the province of Bill Russell and Jerry West, of Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Now the Golden State Warriors and their enduring core — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — belong in the same realm.
Thursday night’s 120-110 victory over Dallas propelled the Warriors into the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years. They became the first team in 24 years to achieve the feat, since Jordan and the Chicago Bulls (1991-98).
Or look at it this way: These Warriors and those Bulls are the only teams in the past 30 years to make the Finals six times in an eight-year span.
Travel deeper back in time and Golden State became the fourth franchise in NBA history to pull off the six-in-eight trick. The Boston Celtics (between 1955 and ‘70) and Los Angeles Lakers (1962-73 and 1980-91) each did it several times, including Boston’s staggering run of 10 consecutive Finals trips (1957-66).
The Warriors added a fresh twist because they plunged into sporting oblivion after five consecutive berths in the championship series. They returned to the Finals only two years removed from having the NBA’S worst record (15-50), in the pandemicshortened 2019-20 season.
Dig into league history and one long-ago comparison emerges: The Minneapolis Lakers lost in the 1959 Finals one year after posting a league-worst 19-53 record. Big distinction: There were only eight teams in the NBA then, and there are 30 now.
Head coach Steve Kerr understands the history better than most, in part because he played on the Bulls teams that reached the Finals (and won the title) in 1996, ‘97 and ‘98.
“I think the common denominator is just talented players who are fierce competitors,” Kerr said. “Whether you talk about Michael and Scottie (Pippen), or Steph, Draymond and Klay, it takes a
guys this spring, and we really don't make comments about the evaluations that we've made; or what they look like, what they didn't look like. They're kind of private for us as we look at things to try to make decisions to make the team better.
“If there is an opportunity to improve the team, we said it from day one, we would look at every opportunity. He's not the first player that we looked at; not the last one. The evaluations we make is private for us. If we make a decision to add somebody to the team then we'll do it.
Raiders linebacker Denzel Perryman, tackle Kolton Miller and defensive end Maxx Crosby were asked about bringing in Kaepernick, but declined to talk about it.
Training camp will begin in late July. in Henderson, Nevada.
In 69 games, including 58 starts, all with the 49ers, Kaepernick has thrown for 12,271 yards on 59.8% passing, with 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He also ran for 2,300 yards and 13 TDS.
After taking over for Alex Smith as the starter in 2012, Kaepernick's second season, he led the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII, where San Francisco lost to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31.