1. Warriors Defy the Odds, Become Relevant Again (2013)
Before the 2012-2013 season, ESPN The Magazine released in an issue the probability of each team making the playoffs and winning the championship. Not only did the Warriors receive a zero percent change of winning it all, but they also were literally given no chance to even the make the playoffs. In a separate preview, John Hollinger predicted the Warriors would finish 40-42, third in the Pacific Division, and 10th in the West.
Well, the Warriors essentially tore those “season predictions” into pieces, surprising many by finishing sixth in the West and earning just their second playoff birth in 18 years.
But their work was hardly done. In order to prove they truly belonged amongst the top competition in the league, the Warriors would have to make some noise in the postseason. They more than stepped up to the task, shocking the third-seeded Nuggets in six games, and nearly upsetting the eventual conference champion Spurs as well.
The Warriors may have fell several rounds short of hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June, but nonetheless, what they achieved in 2013 has been nothing short of momentous and laudable. In just one short year, they have gone from a perennial bottom-feeder to an exciting, fun, and successful team.
To explain how they did so would require another 2000 words, but one can probably notice the difference of how the Warriors are perceived by taking a look at ESPN’s predictions for the Warriors this current season: 50 wins and the sixth seed in a loaded Western Conference.
To sum up 2013 in a few sentences: the Warriors are no longer the laughingstock of the league. The Warriors are legitimate contenders.
The Warriors…belong.