The Hornets-Warriors game on Tuesday wasn’t just a solid win for the Warriors. For the ten-year anniversary of their franchise’s fourth championship (first two as Philadelphia Warriors), the Warriors went down memory lane during halftime of their game and honored their 2014-2015 team. This mini-ceremony came shortly after the Warriors honored Andre Iguodala, one of the key components of that team, with a jersey retirement ceremony. Three former Warriors players were there to enjoy the festivities on Tuesday night. Mo Speights, Brandon Rush, and Festus Ezeli represented the 2015 NBA champions, and the Warriors enjoyed another fun walk down memory lane. Let’s take a look at the team that started a dynasty.
Ten Years Later, Honoring The 2015 NBA Champions
The 2014-2015 Golden State Warriors Were Unstoppable
It isn’t that common for a team to go from first-round elimination in the playoffs to NBA champions the next season. That is exactly what happened when the Warriors replaced Mark Jackson with Steve Kerr in the 2014 offseason. The Warriors went from 51 wins to a whopping 67 wins during the regular season, and then made their way through the playoffs without even having to play a Game 7. This team was just the beginning of what became one of the most dominant dynasties in NBA history.
At the time, the Warriors were the tenth NBA team to win 67 games in a season, and they finished with a home record of 39-2. That home record was one of the best in NBA history. Despite their legendary homecourt advantage, those Warriors captured the attention of more than just the Bay Area.
The emergence of Stephen Curry as an MVP was the main engine behind the 2015 NBA championship. Curry was a huge reason that the Warriors took over the world. The Baby-Faced Assassin was doing things that people had never seen before, and they loved it. However, Curry didn’t dominate the league on his own.
The Unsung Heroes of the 2015 NBA Champions
The best part of the blowout on Tuesday in the Hornets-Warriors game was the honoring of the 2014-2015 Golden State Warriors and Ezeli, Speights, and Rush. Those Warriors had (at least) three Hall of Famers on the roster, but part of their success was because of some of the role players.
Iguodala and Shaun Livingston were two of the best bench players in the league that season, but the three Warriors that were honored played a key role as well. Speights was an instant offensive spark and a fan favorite. Ezeli played essential minutes as a backup center. Rush returned to the team after a season away and brought some veteran leadership. Seeing these players along with the Iguodala jersey retirement a few days before has Warriors fans nostalgic for the good old days.
Hornets-Warriors Game a Step Towards One More
You’d think all of the talk of championships was just about the past. The Warriors certainly weren’t looking like championship contenders a few weeks ago. Now, however, they are red hot after the Jimmy Butler trade and the Hornets-Warriors game was just their latest dominant showing. Draymond Green went as far as promising another Warriors’ championship. This team looks very different than the 2014-15 squad, but they have one thing in common: they want to surprise the world and win an unsuspecting championship.
Photo credit: © John Hefti-Imagn Images
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