By: Yama Hazheer
Around six months ago, the San Francisco Giants won their 3rd World Series within just the past five years. The Oakland Athletics have also made the playoffs in each of the past few seasons.
Being excited for the MLB season is understandable.
However, the majority of the focus in the Bay Area should remain on the Bay’s team, the Golden State Warriors.
-== 7 Reasons Why Stephen Curry is the NBA MVP ==-
Nothing brings Giants, A’s, 49ers, and Raiders fans together like the most exciting team in basketball.
The Warriors have broken their franchise record for wins. Stephen Curry has become not only the face of Bay Area sports next to Buster Posey, but has quickly risen into one of the faces of the NBA.
Golden State has the best record in the NBA and will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They are the best offensive and defensive team in the league. They have like-able complimentary stars next to Curry in Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Steve Kerr is also already one of the best coaches in Northern California right now.
With the Giants and A’s losing some of their marquee players in Pablo Sandoval and Josh Donaldson respectively, the star power isn’t there like it was last season.
Meanwhile the NBA playoffs are less than a mere two weeks away.
The Warriors will either face one of the flashiest players in the NBA in Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder or a young phenom in Anthony Davis and his New Orleans Pelicans. Neither team should pose much of a threat to the Warriors, but there is definitely no lack of star power.
Fans and media love baseball. It’s been considered America’s pastime for as long as many of us know. But there is no denying basketball’s growth.
The Warriors have rarely seen success in the modern day. Aside from an infamous 2007 playoff run and a few early exits in the postseason the past couple of years, Golden State has been irrelevant to most of the casual Bay Area fans. Especially given the fact that the Giants, 49ers, and A’s have seen their fair share of consistent success.
This season should be different. The Warriors have astonished the sports world with their dominance to a point where anything short of a championship would be considered a failure to many.
The Warriors have gotten more local media coverage than ever before. Despite baseball starting this week, the Dubs deserve the same amount of attention and even more once the postseason begins.
Success has been a theme of Bay Area sports for the past few years. With the Giants becoming a dynasty, the 49ers and their deep trips into the postseason, the A’s and their consistency, and even the San Jose Sharks and their decade-long run of being in the playoffs, fans have become spoiled.
Baseball will be around for a long time; it’s a 162-game season. The NBA will end in two weeks for 14 teams, 16 will play for a shot to compete in June and win it all. The Warriors haven’t had this immense of a chance in three decades.
While you watch some baseball this week and for the next several months, remember the Warriors. The NBA season is quickly coming to a conclusion. The Bay Area’s focus should remain on their team, as the Warriors are intent to go on a historic run.
Warriors will have to win a title before they are the focus in the Bay Area. They have had a great season, but they have to have success in the playoffs, otherwise they are like the sharks.