2008 Golden State Warriors

Though the Golden State Warriors finished the 2007-08 season in the middle of the Pacific Division, it wasn’t quite enough to score them a playoff berth. Unfortunately for fans, the Warriors are starting out the 2008-09 season with some tough challenges. They lost Baron Davis to the Los Angeles Clippers and they failed to pick up Gilbert Arenas, but perhaps the most troubling turn of events was the sidelining of Monta Ellis for at least three months due to an ankle injury (riding a moped is more dangerous than it looks!). The good news is that these problems aren’t insurmountable. The Warriors still have plenty of skill on their roster, in the likes of Stephen Jackson, Andris Biedrins, Al Harrington, Kelenna Azubuike and Brandan Wright, among others. Hopefully they can parlay that talent into success on the court, but they’re going to need fans supporting them. Get your tickets to Oracle Arena and cheer the Golden State Warriors on to a winning 2008-09 season!

The Golden State Warriors are a team with a rich tradition and a history that includes arguably the greatest player in basketball history. The team began in 1947 as the Philadelphia Warriors in the fledgling Basketball Association of America, the predecessor to the NBA. Right away they were proven champions, winning the inaugural league championship. Led by one of the first basketball superstars, Joe Fulks, the Warriors were contenders for many years in the BAA. In 1949, the team made the transition to the NBA but struggled early. The Warriors returned to championship form in 1956 to top the then Fort Wayne Pistons for the NBA crown.

The most famous player in Warrior's history is also among the game's all-time best. In 1959, the Philadelphia Warriors drafted Philadelphia born Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, who averaged over 37 points and 27 rebounds in his rookie season and took Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors. Chamberlain is perhaps most notable for his legendary 100-point performance.

The team went west in 1962 and found a home in California where, despite changing cities, the team has remained ever since. The transition was tough and the team traded Chamberlain in 1965. The years since the move have been filled with glimmers of brilliance, such as the 1975 NBA Championship season, as well as times of disaster, such as 2001, when the Warriors won only 17 of their 82 games.

The Warriors play at Oracle Arena, located in Oakland, California. In 2002, the Warriors hired the youngest coach in the NBA, Eric Musselman, to serve as head coach of the struggling franchise. By 2004, Mike Montgomery, a rookie coach, took the reins. In August 2006, he was replaced by Don Nelson, who had been the Warriors head coach from 1988 to 1995.

Oakland is also the home of the Oakland Athletics (A's). Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum is home to one of the best young teams in all of baseball. The Oakland Raiders also play at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Runners-up in the 2003 Super Bowl, the Raiders went on a losing skid in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.