The Warriors had perhaps their most unforgettable year in franchise history in 2015. Here’s a look back at the most memorable moments of the year:
3. Curry named top vote-getter for 2015 All-Star Game in New York
In a game played at the basketball mecca Madison Square Garden, Stephen Curry dethroned Cavaliers star LeBron James and rang up more votes than any other player in the NBA.
Curry was cast on 1,513,324 ballots, slightly ahead of James (1,470,483). Curry became the first Warriors player to start consecutive All-Star games since Chris Mullin did so in 1991 and 1992.
[POOLE: Steph Curry: Better ambassador than Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, etc.]
Curry’s status not only cemented his stardom but also was one more indication that the Warriors — who once went 15 seasons (1998-2012) without a single All-Star — were indeed among the league’s elite.
2. Warriors open 2015-16 season with 24 consecutive wins
There were questions about how the Warriors would respond to winning a championship, whether they could properly recover from a shortened offseason and whether they would maintain excellence without coach Steve Kerr, who took a leave of absence at the beginning of training camp.
Legitimate concerns all, but the Warriors raced out of the gate winning their first 24 games under interim coach Luke Walton.
They were perfect into December, becoming the first NBA team to open a season with such invincibility, blowing away the previous record of 15 consecutive wins to open a season. In the process, the Warriors became a national phenomenon, with large groups of fans and media following their every move.
1. Warriors win their first NBA Championship in 40 years
Behind MVP Stephen Curry, the Warriors won a franchise-record 67 games in the regular season, reaching the playoffs three seasons in a row for the first time since the 1970s.
They swept New Orleans in the first round, beat Memphis in six in the second round and flattened Houston in five in the Western Conference Finals before taking out Cleveland in six in the NBA Finals.
It was the first time since 1975 that the Warriors brought home the league’s most coveted piece of hardware. Moreover, it finally buried so many seasons: 17 wins in 2000-01, 19 in 1999-00, 20 in 1987-88, 21 in 2001-02, 22 in 1984-85 and so on. The Warriors delivered to their stunningly loyal fans a long overdue moment to cherish.
