My Top 5 Dubs Games

Now, I'm going to have to make this post under the timeline of when I was able to watch Warriors games as I obviously wouldn't be able to judge games that I wasn't there to experience and judge the historical impact of the game on the organization. Therefore, I will be ranking the games played in more recent history that our generation would have been able to watch. I will be ranking the games in terms of importance, excitement, stakes, what it meant for the organization and just how great of an individual game it was. I'm definitely missing a bunch of games that could have easily been considered for the top 5 but here are my top 5:

#5 Game 7 | Warriors at Clippers | 2014 NBA Playoffs First Round

This maybe a surprise for some that a game the Warriors actually lost made the list but the intensity of this game really summarized this entire series. The series was neck and neck and showcased a Warriors Clippers rivalry that was probably the best rivalry in the NBA at the time. I feel as if Warriors fans knew and felt was to come with this team after the loss to the Clippers. It was the last time we saw the Warriors as just a good team as they entered the playoffs as the #6 seed at 51-31. Warriors coach Mark Jackson was playing for his job. If the Warriors won, it was likely that he would stay Head Coach for the Dubs which means that Steve Kerr would never have been hired that offseason. This series showcased some of the NBA's best up and coming players from Steph and Klay going up against Chris Paul whom a lot of people considered the best point guard in the NBA at the time. Shoutout to Jamal Crawford though who was really lighting it up. The Warriors were without Andrew Bogut and were forced to play small against DeAndre Jordan who seemed to have averaged 20 rebounds that series. Draymond was inserted into the starting 5 and really solidified his starting spot at power forward for years to come during this series proving he was more valuable than David Lee.

This game was close with the Warriors having a 1 point lead with a little more than 4:00 minutes left. Steph led the scoring effort with 33 and Draymond behind him with 24 on 5-8 from three. Also, shoutout to Jordan Crawford and Mo Speights who were giving the Dubs a huge boost offensively. Chris Paul had 22 and 14 assists while DeAndre Jordan just took advantage of no one on the Warriors being over 6'9 grabbing 18 boards. The winner of this series would go one to play the Thunder which Dubs fans definitely wanted to see as we liked our chances against anyone. The Clippers ended up winning this game but the Warriors are 14-2 against them since that game 7 loss. After the loss, Jermaine O'Neal who was on the Dubs, demanded that management not break up this team as he saw something special with this group. This was never a rivalry anymore after this game which at the time everyone wanted to see. The Warriors are two championships up on the Clippers since then so I guess it worked out alright.

#4 | Game 3 | Warriors at Cavaliers | 2017 NBA Finals

This may have been the game of the biggest shot in Dubs history on Durant's go ahead three to help give them a 3-0 series lead on the Cavs in the Finals. This game was close throughout which was not the case in the first two games of this series as the Warriors were blowing out the Cavs. Durant and Klay led the way with 31 and 30 respectively. Lebron and Kyrie were leading the Cavs to a hopeful win in order to get a game in the series and make it 2-1.

This entire series showcased how dominate and efficient Kevin Durant and the Warriors are. The Cavs led by 6 with 2:23 to go when Steph hit a quick layup followed by Durant getting a bucket to cut the lead to two. After couple of stops, Durant brings the ball up and pulls up from 3 to take a one point lead at 114-113 with 45 seconds left to play. After a few clutch stops by Klay and a turnover forced by Iguodala on James, the Warriors ended up winning the game and going up 3-0 in the Finals with a postseason record of 15-0. They end up winning the championship and going a league record 16-1 in the playoffs. No one could stop the Warriors the entire year nor did they come close to doing so.

#3 | Game 6 | Mavericks at Warriors | 2007 NBA Playoffs First Round

This has to be the most fun pick out of all of them. The Mavericks whom went 67-15 in the regular season and entered the playoffs with the #1 seed were matched up with the #8 seed Warriors that entered the playoffs at 42-40 but were on a hot streak winning 9 out of their 10 last games of the regular season. The Mavericks had the 2007 MVP on their side in Dirk Nowitzki. Only Warriors fans thought they had a chance against a team that was favored by many to win the NBA Championship. The Warriors had a great matchup with numerous guys that could spread the floor, make shots, and were just plain athletic from Stephen Jackson, Baron Davis, and Jason Richardson to Mickaël Piétrus and Monta Ellis leading the bench mob.

The Dubs got off to a hot start with an early 10 - 0 run just minutes into the game. This game was neck and neck through the second quarter with Jerry Stackhouse leading the Mavericks with 16 and Jackson of the Warriors with 10. The fans were on their feet since the jump and this game was too close to call by half time. Stephen Jackson was matched up against Nowitzki defensively and had been giving the 2007 MVP trouble for most of the series. The Warriors came out hot in the third quarter and started to blow the Mavericks. Stephen Jackson had four threes in the third quarter and 7/8 for the game helping the Dubs outscore the Mavs 36-15 in the quarter. The Dubs ended up winning this game by 25 and went on to become the first team in NBA history to defeat a #1 seed as a #8 seed in a best of 7. This team was so lit that they're a historic team in NBA 2K18. Shoutout to Steve Kerr who called this game with Marv Albert and also to Charles Barkley for rockin' a We Believe shirt after hating on the team so hard.

#2 | Game 6 | Warriors at Cavaliers | 2015 NBA Finals

This one was an automatic addition to the list as this was the game that led the Warriors to secure their first title in 40 years. It was Steve Kerr's first year coaching and just one season prior, the Warriors lost to the Clippers in the first round. The Warriors saw a 16 game improvement from the previous season and began the playoffs as the #1 overall seed. They had the seasons MVP in Steph Curry on their side and an all around balanced team from their starters to their bench. The Warriors began the season as 25:1 odds to win the title which was right in front of the Wizards and right behind the Mavericks.

This game was close throughout until the Warriors pushed out to a double digit lead late into the third quarter. Iggy was huge this entire series forcing LeBron to take tough shots and jumpers while providing the Warriors much needed offense. Iguodala ended up being Finals MVP which was much deserved. Festus Ezeli was doing work out there getting put backs and providing an inside presence that was needed as Andrew Bogut wasn't playing much in recent games as the Warriors opted for a small ball lineup and to add Iguodala to the starting 5. This game and championship ushered in the new era for the Warriors as a potential organization that could win multiple championships in the years to come.

#1 | Game 6 | Warriors at Thunder | 2016 Western Conference Finals

This is a game that Warriors fans will never forget and can easily remember. The Warriors were on the verge of elimination after a 73 win season. They were down 3-2 at the time after winning Game 5 at home. They were playing a team with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook whom were in the Western Conference multiple times over the past few seasons. The Thunder were on the verge of going back to the finals for the first time in four seasons which potentially would have kept Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City as he was a free agent as soon as the Thunder's season ended. This series was much more interesting than the Eastern Conference Finals which featured the Cavs against the Raptors who LeBron made slight work out of even though the Raptors tied the series.

This game was intense. Klay and Steph were carrying the Warriors who were still just holding on as the game was close throughout up until later in the game. Klay was pullin' and hittin' shots that were extremely tough with defenders drapped all over him and forcing to pull up at angles I'm sure he's not as used to. He knew the Warriors needed him and he definitely gave himself the green light on multiple tough shots and was making them. The Warriors were down by 7 with 5:00 to play when Klay pulled up from the edge of the Thunder logo to break the NBA record for three's in a playoff game with 10 and then goes to hit number 11 with the game tied to give the Warriors the lead at 104-101. The fact that he did this with the Warriors facing elimination on the road makes it easily the most clutch performance that I've ever seen. Iguodala's defense was also key including a key strip on Westbrook which led to that 11th Thompson three. This game was so huge that the future of Kevin Durant really could have went either way had the Thunder won this game at home. This was also Kevin Durant's final game in a Thunder uniform as he decided to join the Dubs that offseason on what would lead to the Warriors second championship in three years the following season.

- Tesh