Before breaking down the upcoming Warriors-Mavericks Western Conference Finals with former Golden State forward Matt Barnes on Tuesday, 95.7 The Game’s “Steiny & Guru” had to talk about the classic ‘We Believe’ playoff series from 2007. Check out the full interview below:
As host Matt Steinmetz recalled, Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki famously put a hole in a wall at Oracle Arena after the No. 8 seed Warriors upset the 67-win and top-seeded Mavs.
“I think he threw a chair,” Barnes said. “Remember, the hole was really high up.”
Actually, it was a trash can.
The Warriors fan base was starved for the postseason in 2007 following a 13-year drought at that point and the atmosphere at Oracle Arena was electric for Game 3 and Game 4, before the Warriors closed out the series in Game 6 in Oakland. The Warriors became just the third No. 8 seed in NBA history to upset a No. 1 seed.
“We played really well,” Barnes said. “We were able to – at the time – make NBA history. It was a special group and it was definitely a fun time.”
Fifteen years later and the Dubs and Mavs will meet again. This time, the stakes are much higher. Instead of fighting for a bid to the second round, which was the prize in 2007, the teams are aiming for a bid to the NBA Finals.
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Barnes was a late-season signee during the Warriors’ 2017 championship run, so he’s been through it with this core group. Above all, Barnes would love to see Steph Curry win a fourth ring.
"It would be huge and he deserves it,” Barnes said. “If you don't like Steph Curry, then you're just a hater. What can you really not like about him? He’s himself, he plays the game the right way. He plays the game the right way. He’s selfless. Rarely, in this day and age, these selfless superstars. He's a selfless superstar. I think it’d be huge if they’re able to get it. It’s no lie this team is getting older.”
If the Warriors make the Finals, it’d mark the sixth trip in eight years behind the Dynasty Dubs core of Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, who led Golden State to five straight from 2015-19. But Iguodala is 38 now, Steph is 34, Draymond and Klay are 32. This run won’t last forever.
“You can’t top that experience, but they realize that this window is shutting and it’s shutting fast,” Barnes said. “They’ve built a culture. They fell on their obviously, with the injuries and KD (Kevin Durant) leaving, it was a structure similar to San Antonio, that once the pieces come back together, ‘We could pick up where we left off, because we are a dynasty.’ I enjoy watching it. I’m excited because I feel like they have just as good a chance as anyone to win a championship this year.”
