SI Flashback: NBA Finals

In one of the more unlikely Finals matchups and results, Barry and his anonymous Golden State sidekicks -- picked fourth in the Pacific Division before the season -- dismantled the heavily favored, and just plain heavier, Bullets of Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld in four straight (though two were one-point victories).

Snapshot from The Warriors were Bulletproof

By Pat Putnam

They Said It "I see they are calling us a team of destiny. I guess that means we're not a very good team. We play hard, we're tough and that's why we win. No one likes us, no one thought we should be here. But I'm not saying prayers. There aren't any old ladies going to churches making novenas for us to win. This team is good. That's why we're winning." —Golden State coach Al Attles "This isn't a religious happening. This isn't due to transcendental meditation working in some mysterious way. This is us." —Golden State's Charles Johnson

One-sided?: The Bullets were embarrassed by the Game 1 loss but not overly concerned. All week they had been reading that this would be the greatest mismatch in NBA playoff history. Can you believe Keith Wilkes, a rookie, trying to stop Elvin Hayes, and giving away three inches and 45 pounds to boot? And what could center Clifford Ray do on the boards against both Hayes and Wes Unseld?

Balance: No Warriors stood around in the series. Al Attles sent his troops in waves, and they came scrambling and scraping and swarming at the Bullets. "We go at you 12 different ways," said one of the Warriors. "The Bullets don't know which way to bite. They don't know who is going to do it to them, they just know it's going to happen." By the end of the three games, Golden State's reserves had scored 115 points. The Bullet bench had scored only 53.

Issue date: June 2, 1975