Stephen Curry and the Warriors last made the NBA Finals in 2022, and eventually won their 4th title in 8 years.
The Golden State Warriors have made 38 playoff appearances in the franchise’s 79 seasons in the NBA. Those trips saw 13 teams make it to the Conference Finals, so let’s take a look at how those deep postseason runs played out.
1947
The Philadelphia Warriors took down the St. Louis Bombers and New York Knicks on their way to the BAA Finals in 1946-47. Facing the top-seeded Chicago Stags, the Warriors would go on to win their first-ever championship with a 4-1 series win, with the final three games being decided by a combined seven points. Hall of Famer Joe Fulks led his club with 22.2 points across ten outings that postseason after winning the scoring title during the regular season (23.2 ppg).
1948
The following season saw the Philadelphia Warriors defeat the St. Louis Bombers in seven games in the semifinals before advancing to the BAA finals for the second consecutive year. However, this trip didn’t hold the same results for Fulks and his teammates, as the Baltimore Bullets took home the title with a 4-2 series victory. ‘Jumpin’ Joe’ again led the league in regular season scoring (22.1 ppg) and in the postseason (21.7 ppg).
1956
Philly didn’t stay down for too long after losing in the Finals in the 1947-48 season, as the Warriors made their first appearance in the NBA East Division Finals in 1956. They would go on to defeat the Syracuse Nationals 3-2 to advance to the NBA Finals, where they took care of business in five games against the Fort Wayne Pistons earning the franchise’s second championship. Paul Arizin averaged 27.6 points to lead the Dubs, while Tom Gola (13.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and Neil Johnston (13.6 ppg, 11.0 rpg) averaged double-doubles.
1964
As the San Francisco Warriors in 1963-64, Wilt Chamberlain and Tom Meschery outlasted Bob Pettit and the St. Louis Hawks in seven games in the Western Division Finals to advance to the 1964 Finals. Wilt was a force the Hawks just couldn’t handle, as he posted 38.6 points and 23.4 rebounds across the series. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the Boston Celtics, led by Bill Russell, Sam Jones and John Havlicek, would take home the NBA title in five games.
1967
Just a few years later, the San Francisco Warriors made it to the West Division Finals after disposing of the Los Angeles Lakers in the semis. Rick Barry led his squad to a series win over the St. Louis Hawks in the Conference Finals to advance to the 1967 Finals. The Warriors weren’t able to get it done, though, losing in six games to the Philadelphia 76ers despite Barry tallying 40.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists a night.
1975
Barry helped lead the Golden State Warriors to the Western Conference Finals in the 1974-75 season after defeating the Seattle Supersonics in the semis. They met the Chicago Bulls in those Conference Finals, where the Warriors were down 3-2 before winning the final two games to take the series in Game 7. Golden State would eventually sweep the Washington Bullets to claim their third championship, with Barry earning Finals MVP honors (29.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.0 apg).
1976
The following season didn’t end in back-to-back titles for the Warriors, but they again made it to the Western Conference Finals. In 12 of their 13 trips to this round of the postseason, the 1975-76 team represents the franchise’s only loss in the Conference Finals. The Phoenix Suns, much like the Warriors the season prior, would come back from a 3-2 deficit and win in Game 7 on the road to advance to the Final versus the Boston Celtics.
2015
We have to fast Forward about four decades for Golden State’s next appearance on the list, but it was the beginning of a Warriors dynasty that lasted the better part of the last decade in the NBA. Led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, coach Steve Kerr navigated wins over the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies to make it to the Conference Finals. They blew past the Houston Rockets in five games to advance to the Finals for the first time in 40 years, where they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games to earn the title.
2016
In 2015-16, the Warriors finished with the second-best record in NBA history (73-9) in the regular season. They went through the Rockets in the first round, then battled the Portland Trail Blazers in the semis before moving on to the Western Conference Finals. There, the Dubs stormed back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Oklahoma City Thunder to get to the Finals for a second consecutive year. However, the Cavs flipped the script on them to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 series win in Game 7 on the road.
2017
After his Thunder squad dropped their 3-1 lead in the postseason against Golden State in 2016, Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors that summer to form one of the best teams in league history. They coasted through the playoffs, eliminating the Blazer and Utah Jazz in the first two rounds to once again advance to the Conference Finals. Curry and KD were masterful in a sweep over the San Antonio Spurs to win the Western Conference and then got revenge on the Cavs in the Finals in just five games.
2018
The second year with a core of Durant, Curry, Thompson and Green propelled the Warriors to their fourth straight Western Conference Finals appearance. Golden State went through the Spurs and Pelicans in the first two rounds before meeting the Rockets in the Conference Finals. It took seven games and a 3-2 series comeback to give the Warriors another trip to the Finals. KD earned back-to-back Finals MVP honors after sweeping the Cavs this time, marking Golden State’s third championship in the last four years.
2019
Golden State’s dominance would start to fall off in 2019 because of major injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson in the postseason. The Warriors took care of business in the first two rounds again by dismissing the LA Clippers and Rockets to get to the Conference Finals for the fifth consecutive time. They went on to sweep the Trail Blazers in four games to advance to the NBA Finals, but Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors emerged victorious in six games to claim their franchise’s first title.
2022
The Warriors went through a couple down years after their Finals loss in 2019, but Curry, Thompson and Green would once again lead them to the promised land. Golden State battled the Denver Nuggets and Grizzlies to get to the Conference Finals, where they were able to defeat the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Curry would eventually be awarded his first Finals MVP by defeating the Boston Celtics 4-2, posting averages of 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals.
