![Golden State Warriors' death lineup [Source: Bleacher Report]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/09/b327e-16307561753923-800.jpg)
![Golden State Warriors' death lineup [Source: Bleacher Report]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.6625'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Stephen Curry is the face of the Golden State Warriors franchise. He is rightfully dubbed "Mr. Warrior" as he holds several franchise records to his name and got the organization to where it is today. He is arguably the most beloved Bay Area athlete as the two-time MVP brought back championship parades and sold out arenas. Curry is now the all-time leading scorer in the Golden State Warriors' franchise history, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain and is also the franchise's assist leader, passing Guy Rodgers.
But before the baby-faced assassin laced up for the Bay Area franchise, the team had its fair share of success. The Warriors were established in 1946 in Philadelphia the same year the league was founded as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Philadelphia Warriors won their inaugural season in 1946-47. Future Hall of Famer Joe Fulks played for the team as they defeated the Chicago Stags 4-1 in the 1947 BAA Finals.
The Wilt Chamberlain days were all about breaking records and his personal success as they didn't win much as a team. The Golden State Warriors went on to win five more championships in their history. They also had some teams that were excellent but couldn't get to the finish line.
So let's dive into basketball history and look at the five best teams in Golden State Warriors history.
Honorable Mention - 1955-56 San Francisco Warriors
The team that won the second championship in franchise history. The Philadelphia Warriors moved to the Bay Area and changed their name to the San Francisco Warriors. Hall of Fame trio of Paul Arizin, Tom Gola and Neil Johnston led the team with major contributions from Jack George and Joe Graboski. They defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons in the 1956 NBA World Championship series (NBA Finals) 4-1.
#5 Rick Barry's Warriors
![Rick Barry with the Golden State Warriors [Source: NBA.com]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/09/a5774-16307599643582-800.jpg)
After Wilt Chamberlain departed, it was the start of the Rick Barry era in the Bay Area. He was selected by the San Francisco Warriors as the second overall pick in the 1965 NBA Draft. Barry was an instant All-Star in the league as the Warriors jumped from 17 to 35 wins after his addition. He made the All-Star team in his first two years in the NBA but his 1967 season was arguably his best year ever.
He led the league in scoring with 35.6 points per game and carried the San Francisco Warriors to the NBA Finals, defeating the Jerry West-Elgin Baylor-led LA Lakers in the playoffs. Barry averaged 40.8 points in the NBA Finals (including 55 points in Game 3) which is the second-highest scoring average in a Finals series in NBA history.
Barry left the San Francisco Warriors to join the Oakland Oaks of the ABA (American Basketball Association). He became the first marquee NBA star to join the rival league. However, he returned to the franchise in 1972 and three years later, led the Golden State Warriors to the NBA title. He was named NBA Finals MVP as they swept the Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld-led Washington Bullets in the 1975 NBA Finals.
The team consisted of Jamaal Wilkes, Butch Beard, Clifford Ray, Charles Johnson, Derrek Dickey, George Johnson and Jeff Mullins as the major contributors.
#4 2006-07 "We Believe" Golden State Warriors
![2006-07 "We Believe" Warriors [Source: Golden State Warriors]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/09/e4334-16307628547056-800.jpg)
The 2006-07 NBA season was one of the most hyped up years for Bay Area fans. After years of mediocrity and no significant wins, the Golden State Warriors were seemingly heading into another year of basketball with playoff hopes. Heading into this season, they had a 12-year playoff drought and it appeared that streak was going to continue, but the new squad surprised the basketball league and finished the season with a 42-40 (.512) record and made the NBA playoffs as the West's 8th seed.
"We Believe" became the slogan for the Golden State Warriors and their fans as they carried through and ended their playoff drought. Fans filled the stadiums again and felt extremely confident heading into the first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks. For starters, the Warriors swept the first-seeded 67-win Mavericks, led by reigning MVP Dirk Nowiztki, in the regular-season series. Secondly, Nowitzki's former coach Don Nelson now coached the Dubs so he knew how to stop him.
The team comprised of Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes, Al Harrington, Monta Ellis and Andris Biedriņš as it's main players.
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks in six games and became the third eighth seed in NBA playoff history to defeat the first seed and the first to do so in a seven-game series. It is regarded as one of the biggest playoff upsets of all time.
#3 Run TMC
![<a href='https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/tim-hardaway-jr' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'>Tim Hardaway</a>, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors [Source: Bleacher Report]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/09/726b5-16307661742632-800.jpg)
The Golden State Warriors' 'Run TMC' days might not have led to championships but they were certainly one of the most exciting teams in the early 1990s. The trio of Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin ran a run-and-gun style of play and their first-name initials led to the nickname "Run TMC," inspired by New York City-based hip-hop group "Run-DMC."
Chris Mullin was the longest tenured member of the team as was part of the roster from 1985 to 1997. Mitch Richmond was drafted in 1988 and played till 1991 whereas Tim Hardway was drafted in 1989 and he played till 1996. Hence, a combination of duos played with each other for several years but the star trio only got two seasons together.
The trio was the core of the Golden State Warriors' up-tempo offense known as "Nellie Ball" as the team was coached by Don Nelson (who later rejoined and coached the "We Believe" team). They relied on smaller, quicker guards to exploit mismatches and outrun their opponents. The Golden State Warriors led the league in scoring in their first season together in 1989-90 but missed the playoffs.
In their second season together, the Golden State Warriors finished the season with a 44-38 record. They defeated the David Robinson-led San Antonio Spurs in the first round of that year's playoffs but lost to the eventual finalists, the Magic Johnson-led LA Lakers.
Like we said, this team didn't result in championship parades, but became a cultural icon in the early 90s. They were known as "the rap masters of the NBA" among several other names and posters of "Run TMC" flooded the stands as the trio put on an offensive performance every night.
#2 The Splash Brother's Golden State Warriors
In 2013, then-head coach Mark Jackson called Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson "the greatest shooting backcourt in NBA history" and the league laughed at him. Eight years later, almost everyone unanimously agreed that coach Jackson was right. Curry and Thompson blew away teams from 2013 to 2016 and broke several records along the way. Terrified teams with their spacing and shooting and revolutionized professional basketball.
In 2012, they added the services of Draymond Green, Festus Ezili and Harrison Barnes. Curry led the sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors past the third-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs. After a disappointing loss in 2014, the Warriors returned the following season with a chip on their shoulders. Stephen Curry won his first MVP award after leading the team to 67 wins. They conquered the playoffs and defeated the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
In the 2015-16 season, the Golden State Warriors did the unthinkable and broke the Chicago Bulls' 72-10 record with 73 wins. They started the season 25-0 and were blowing away teams with their shooting. Stephen Curry was named the league's first unanimous MVP and he was so good that he was also third in Most Improved Player voting. He averaged 30 points per game on 50-40-90 shooting splits and is still the only player to have ever done that.
Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry jacked up a combined 1536 three-pointers and Curry made an NBA record 402 threes in the season.
They unfortunately lost to the Cavaliers in a Finals collapse as they blew a 3-1 lead and their chance to cap off a perfect season was ruined. However, the 2016 Golden State Warriors will forever be known as the most dominant team in the league that revolutionized basketball.
#1 Kevin Durant joins the death lineup
What happens when you add four-time scoring champion and arguably the most ungaurdable player in Kevin Durant to a 73-9 historically great team with the reigning two-time MVP in Stephen Curry? Mayhem. Not to mention Draymond Green's swiss army knife-type game and Klay Thompson's unbelievable explosiveness from distance.
When Kevin Durant decided to take his talents to the Golden State Warriors in 2016 offseason, the world laughed and scorned him but there was no denying that this team was the greatest and most unstoppable force ever assembled in the history of basketball.
They went on to the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals and Durant was named Finals MVP for both. Although Curry made a serious case for the 2018 award as he broke the Finals three-point record and did in fact, outscore Durant in three of the four games in the series. In 2017, they broke the 2001 Kobe-Shaq's LA Lakers' record of a 15-1 postseason by going 16-1. They swept every team until Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Finals.
The Kevin Durant-Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors are still considered one of the most unstoppable teams in NBA history and the best collection of talent ever assembled. Many analysts and fans would pick this team to beat any team in NBA history.
Also Read: 5 most underappreciated Golden State Warriors players over the last decade
