Why the Warriors’ dreadful past makes their trip to the NBA Finals that much more special

Even with an NBA Finals hat proudly on his head, his daughter Riley in his arms and blue and white confetti falling over him, Stephen Curry was a little surprised that most of the Golden State Warriors fans were in no rush to go home with the team still four victories from winning a championship.

The Warriors’ lone NBA championship was in 1975, and they can end the drought by beating LeBron James and the Eastern Conference-champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals.

Considering it has been 40 long and frustrating years since the Warriors’ last Finals appearance, Curry eventually realized why the fans so appreciated just getting back to the championship series.

The Warriors celebrated their 40th year championship anniversary during a win over the Washington Wizards on March 23 with seven former players in attendance.

On June 9, 1980, the Warriors traded center Robert Parish and the third pick in the draft (Kevin McHale) for the first pick in the draft to select Joe Barry Carroll.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers, who is a life-long Warriors fan from nearby Danville, Calif., remembers the franchise’s dark days.

I walk around town and hear people say I’ve been a Warriors fan for 20 years, 30 years.

Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob stood near midcourt taking in the scene long after the players departed with the 2015 Western Conference championship trophy.

Shortly after buying the team on July 15, 2010, Lacob quickly promised that the Warriors would become a Western Conference power and put a NBA championship banner in the rafters at Oracle Arena.

The Warriors’ All-Star starting backcourt of Curry and Klay Thompson were draft picks, as were starting forwards Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green and key reserve center Festus Ezeli.