Hoops Habit
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Golden State Warriors: 10 Steps To Winning A Championship

By Gerald Bourguet

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11), guard Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Trophy after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11), guard Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Trophy after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors
Apr 24, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson on the sideline during the second quarter of game three of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Firing Mark Jackson

At the end of the 2013-14 season, the Warriors made the controversial decision to fire Mark Jackson as head coach. The Dubs had just lost in the first round of the playoffs, but it was against the third-seeded Los Angeles Clippers (a very good team) without home-court advantage in a seven-game series where the Dubs were playing without Andrew Bogut.

It seemed truly unfair to punish a coach that had turned around Golden State’s losing culture and connected with the younger star players. At the time, I was one of many harsh critics of the decision, even though everyone knew about the constant clash between Jackson and the front office.

As it turns out, this was just like when Michael Jordan‘s Chicago Bulls couldn’t get over the hump and decided to move on from Doug Collins to bring in Phil Jackson. The very next season, the Bulls won the title, just like these Warriors. Collins wasn’t a bad coach just like Jackson wasn’t a bad coach.

But taking that risk and finding a coach who could elevate a team to a championship caliber group made all the difference in the end.

Next: No. 9

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