With the success of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series “The Last Dance,” which Golden State Warriors team should get documentary-style treatment?
While a documentary on the current championship teams or the “Run TMC” era would be entertaining, one Golden State squad should be at the front of the list.
After going on a tear through the final 20 games in the 2006-2007 season to earn a playoff bid, the “We Believe” Warriors were born.
The gritty combination of Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes, Al Harrington and Andris Biedrins formed a memorable underdog streak in Golden State Warriors history.
The first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs was the crown jewel in the “We Believe” run.
May 3, 2007
After squeaking into the postseason, the Warriors suited up with the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
The Warriors burst out of the gate hot, surprising the Mavericks with a pair of 30 point performances from Davis. After four games, the eighth-seeded Warriors were in the driver seat with a 3-1 lead heading into Dallas.
Facing elimination, the 2007 Most Valuable Player Dirk Nowitzki responded with 30 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Mavericks to another game. With the chance to close out the Mavs in Oakland, Golden State didn’t miss.
After a tight first half, the Warriors blasted the Mavericks in the third quarter outscoring Dallas 36-15 to set the Bay Area crowd into a celebration frenzy. Jackson dropped 33 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field with seven triples from beyond the arc. Nowitzki was held to only eight points on 2-of-13 shooting. Davis, Barnes and Biedrins each added double-doubles in Golden State’s shocking 111-86 series-clinching victory at Oracle Arena.
Watch highlights from the Warriors improbable win in game six via YouTube:
The Warriors became the third eighth seed in NBA history to knock off the top seed in the first round of the playoffs.
Against the Mavericks, Davis averaged 25.0 points with 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. Jackson added 22.8 points per game, with 47.5% shooting from long distance.
Despite being eliminated by the Utah Jazz in the second round, Golden State’s “We Believe” run is still celebrated 13 years later.
