The opening round of the playoffs marks a holiday weekend for hoops fans around the league. A mix of cinderella squads vying to play spoiler, while top-seeded teams attempt to make a run at the Finals usually makes for fireworks.
Saturday, April, 18 was the scheduled start date of the 2020 playoffs. However, with the season suspended with 17 games remaining due to the coronavirus pandemic, the start of the playoffs are on hold.
With no basketball on the slate, Warriors Wire looked back into some of the top moments from the first game of Golden State’s opening-rounds in playoff history.
Rick Barry, the Splash Brothers, Run TMC and Kevin Durant each contributed to memorable performances in game one of the Western Conference first round.
1991 — Mitch Richmond, Chris Mullin & Tim Hardaway
(7) Warriors at (2) Spurs: 130-121 (0-1)
During the 1990-91 season, the high powered scoring trio of known as Run TMC started their playoff run with a bang.
Mitch Richmond tallied 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers. The six-time All-Star added five boards and two steals. Chris Mullin matched his teammate with 29 of his own, with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tim Hardaway registered 19 points with eight assists, but it wasn’t enough.
Willie Anderson, Rod Strickland and David Robinson all scored 30 or more points in San Antonio’s 130-121 game one victory. However, that was the only game the Spurs would win. The Warriors ripped off four straight wins, advancing to round two against the Los Angeles Lakers.
2019 — Stephen Curry
(8) Los Angeles Clippers at (1) Warriors: 121-104 (1-0)
After five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals, Stephen Curry has a laundry list of standout performances in the playoffs. To open the postseason in 2019, the two-time Most Valuable Player put on a show.
Curry drilled eight 3-pointers on his way to 38 points on 11-of-16 shooting. The point guard added 15 rebounds (his playoff career-high) and seven assists.
Golden State cruised to a 17 point victory behind Curry’s 38 points in game one.
Watch highlights from Golden State’s game one victory via YouTube:
1977 — Rick Barry
(5) Pistons at (4) Warriors: 95-90 (0-1)
Before the Splash Brothers and Run TMC, Rick Barry patrolled the Golden State backcourt.
In his third straight trip to the playoffs, Barry opened the 1977 tournament with 31 points on 14-of-31 shooting. The Hall of Fame guard added nine rebounds, six assists and five steals in 40 minutes.
Although Golden State couldn’t start the postseason with a dash in the win column, they downed the Pistons in three games and moved on to the Los Angeles Lakers in round two.
2018 — Klay Thompson
(7) Spurs at (2) Warriors: 113-92 (1-0)
While the Golden State Warriors were heavy favorites against the San Antonio Spurs in 2018, there was uncertainty heading into round one for the second-seeded team in the Western Conference.
Curry was ruled out against the Spurs with a sprained knee, but his fellow backcourt mate put an end to any worry. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field. The lone Splash Brother knocked down five 3-pointers while recording two assists, two rebounds and a steal.
Kevin Durant contributed 24 points, nine boards and seven assists against Rudy Gay, LaMarcus Aldridge and Bryn Forbes. JaVale McGee tacked on 15 points, four rebounds and two blocks in Golden State’s 113-92 round one win.
Watch highlights from Golden State’s combined effort against the Spurs via YouTube:
2017 — Kevin Durant & Draymond Green
(8) Trail Blazers at (1) Warriors: 121-109 (1-0)
In 2017, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for a thrilling 75 points. However, a duo from Golden State had something in store for the Portland tandem.
Durant dropped 32 points on 12-of-20 shooting with 11 rebounds and two assists. Draymond Green added a stat-stuffing near triple-double with 19 points, 12 boards, nine assists, five blocks and three steals.
Curry added 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting to give Golden State a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference first round. The Warriors went on to sweep Portland on their way to a historic 16-1 championship run.
Watch highlights from the Warriors 121-109 victory via YouTube:
2007 — Baron Davis
(8) Warriors at (1) Dallas Mavericks 97-85: (1-0)
The first round of the 2007 playoffs marks the start of one of the most memorable playoff series in Golden State’s history. After streaking through the final stretch of the season, Don Nelson’s “We Believe” Warriors traveled to Dallas for a series against top-seeded Mavericks.
Baron Davis set the tone for the Warriors underdog heroics with 33 points on 11-of-20 shooting with 14 rebounds and eight assists in 44 minutes. Stephen Jackson added 23 points in Golden State’s 97-85 round one win in Dallas.
The Warriors later eliminated Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks in six games, becoming the third eighth-seeded squad in NBA history to knock out the top seed.
Watch highlights from Golden State’s upset win in 2007 via YouTube:
1989 — Chris Mullin
(2) Warriors at (7) Utah Jazz: 123-119 (1-0)
Mullin recorded his playoff career-high in 1989 against the Utah Jazz in round one of the Western Conference playoffs. The future Hall of Famer tallied 41 points on 13-of-21 shooting with seven rebounds and five assists against the Jazz.
Karl Malone and John Stockton combined for 52 points, but the Warriors were able to steal a game one win, 123-119.
Golden State erased the Jazz in three games before being eliminated in the second round by Kevin Johnson, Eddie Johnson and the Phoenix Suns.
