1. 2017 Championship
Sure, Steph and co. have won a handful of championships for Golden State. But it’s only their 2017 run where they clinched the title in their home court. It was the third time in a row that the Cavs and the Warriors were meeting in the NBA Finals (which was a first in NBA history) and the Warriors were still reeling from losing the chip after gaining a 3-1 lead. This was also the first championship won by the new look Warriors, which featured Kevin Durant.
2. The Warriors’ first game at Oracle
The Oracle Arena was originally called the Oakland Coliseum Arena. And while the Warriors would only call the venue their permanent home in 1971, they actually played their first game there on November 29, 1966. The box score you see above is from that game and shows Rick Barry scoring 40 points and nabbing 11 rebounds to beat the Bulls 108 to 101.
Bonus fact: Rick Barry also holds the most points scored at Oracle, scoring 64 points in a 1974 game versus Portland.
3. The Eric "Sleepy" Floyd game
Before Klay Thompson had his record-breaking 37-point quarter, there was baller called Sleepy Floyd who scored 29 in a quarter, during a do-or-die game in the playoffs, against one of the most storied franchises in the league. The Warriors were down 0-3 in in the Western Conference Semifinals against a Lakers team that featured Kareem, Magic, and James Worthy. The Warriors would eventually succumb to the superior firepower of the Showtime Lakers, but not in Game 4. Floyd went off for 51 points scoring a still-standing record of 39 in a half.
4. We Believe Warriors
Younger fans probably don’t remember the time when the Warriors were actually underdogs in the league. Bannered by the likes of Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, and Monta Ellis, Golden State entered the 2007 playoffs as the number 8 seed. They were matched up with the league leading Dallas Mavericks that featured prime Dirk Nowitzki (who was named the MVP that year). Dubbed as the "We Believe" Warriors, the team completed a legendary 4-2 upset against the Mavs in one of the most magical (albeit very short-lived) postseason runs ever.
5. Vince Carter’s iconic dunk
One of the most memorable moments that ever happened inside Oracle didn’t even feature a Golden State player. We’re talking about the 2000 slam dunk contest featuring Tracy McGrady, Steve Francis, and Half Man Half Amazing himself, Vince Carter. That slam dunk contest is now considered as one of the best in All-Star Weekend history and cemented VC as the best dunker to ever play the game.