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Warriors say goodbye to Oracle Arena with Oakland banner and 'We Believe' uniforms

Jack Baer
Staff writer

The Golden State Warriors will say goodbye to Oracle Arena and the city of Oakland after this season, with a plan to open the new Chase Center in San Francisco next year.

That move is a very mixed bag for many fans, and an outright negative for the ones in Oakland, but the Warriors had plenty in store to honor their soon-to-be-old arena during their final home game of the regular season.

Warriors reveal Oakland banner

The team’s biggest gesture toward its time in Oakland was a banner reading “Oakland, California: 47 seasons” that will hang in the new Chase Center, commemorating the Warriors’ home for nearly the last five decades.

“Obviously this is the ceremonial final game at Oracle. We’ve got a few more to come,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said to the crowd. “Behind me, we’ve got a banner signifying 47 years here at Oracle Arena, and this banner will hang in the new Chase Center as well. So thank you to everybody, we love you and we’ll see you in the playoffs.”

Additionally, past Warriors favorites like Sleepy Floyd, Rick Barry, Adonal Foyle and Mo Speights were on hand and honored at halftime.

It’s a bittersweet moment for a team that was selling tickets even during the dark times between 1995 and 2012 in which the team the made the playoffs just once.

Once the team began winning titles in 2014-15, Oracle Arena morphed into a house of horrors for opponents, with the team losing a grand total of nine home games over the course of three years.

OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 7: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to the crowd during the game against the LA Clippers on April 7, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Warriors had some special throwbacks for their final regular season game at Oracle Arena. (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

One of the most memorable teams during the Warriors’ 47 years in Oracle was the 2006-07 “We Believe” team, which pulled of one of the NBA’s greatest upsets against the 67-win Dallas Mavericks that featured league MVP Dirk Nowitzki. The Warriors took a special step to remember that team.

Warriors reveal ‘We Believe’ uniforms

If there was a moment the Oracle Arena was loudest on Sunday, it might have been before the Warriors even started playing.

In dramatic fashion, the Warriors pulled off the warm-up wear and revealed throwbacks honoring that “We Believe” team, which was reportedly a choice by the players. The crowd went wild.

The Warriors went on to dominate the Los Angeles Clippers 131-104 and clinch the top seed in the Western Conference, ending the Oracle Arena’s era of regular seasons on a high note.

Of course, there are more games to play, and there’s one very clear way to keep Oracle’s doors open a little longer.

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