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The City Of Oakland Celebrates, The Warriors Win The Title

Published

11 years ago

June 17, 2015

Cleveland, OH – It only took 40 years to perfect a team that had fallen in the playoffs for three years straight. It took a coaching change that left many speechless, a few teaks in the starting lineup and one point guard to come into the 2014-15 season more hungry than any other player.

LeBron James made a statement after the Cavaliers lost in game 5. He said “that he was the best player in the world.” Last night he watched the best NBA team in the world hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy on his own home court. The Warriors won their first NBA Championship in almost a decade beating Cleveland 105-97 and they did it with great defense followed by a range of three’s.

“It makes it so much more special to have gone through some down years and injuries and transition from a roster standpoint, and to be able to sit here six years later from my rookie year and hold this trophy, this is an unbelievable experience,” said Stephen Curry.

The League’s MVP had been completely outstanding throughout the playoff run, his teammates superb and Andre Iguodala phenomenal in shutting down the league’s best player. You have to tip your hat to James who carried the Cavs on his back despite the injuries, leaving his team short-handed throughout the year. What he did alone should be in the history books.

“Tried as much as we could to try to make up for those guys, but it’s a lot of talent sitting in suits,” James said. “I’ve had a lot of playoff runs, been on both ends, and I know one thing that you’ve got to do during the playoff run, you’ve got to be healthy. You’ve got to be healthy. You’ve got to be playing great at the right time. You’ve got to have a little luck. And we were playing great, but we had no luck and weren’t healthy.”

But last night, the celebration belonged to the city of Oakland who had to take a backseat to teams across the bridge. The San Francisco Giants and the 49ers have tasted the champagne. Both teams have had the pleasure of winning championships for years. Now we cross the bridge over to Oakland, to a city where teams have taken turns looking for a new location.

The momentum has shifted, the curse lifted, Oakland has a new champion and guess what? Maybe more victories can follow the suit because two more professional teams have a chance to make history just like the Warriors did.

One year of dedication, no expectations other than winning every game during the regular season. First year head coach Steve Kerr didn’t know what to expect when he took over the team this year. But he had confidence that his team had the ability to play hard everyday.

“I was well aware of the versatility that the roster had,” said Kerr. “But as I got to know the players, I realized they had what it took spiritually, emotionally. They were united. They wanted to win. They were close.”

The chemistry the team had last season was certainly an accomplishment of former head coach Mark Jackson. He taught them the faith of God can bring victory anywhere. Especially to a young talented team that saw each individual as an equal. Everyone wanted to be good and compete, that’s when one player stepped up as a leader so others can follow. Curry who loves playing basketball, perfected his shooting ability and the entire team took advantage in practice everyday.

“We played hard competing with one another in practice and I think that helped us carry it over to games,” the series MVP Iguodala said. “Starting those games in practice helped me in the Finals.’

“My mind was working so many ways. Like ‘What’s going to happen if you win? What’s going to happen if you lose? How do you approach the game starting? Do you come out firing? Do you let it come to you? For me it was just playing my game and what has helped me in my career so long.”

Iguodala never started a game during the regular season but that changed in the Finals. And it was his defense that shut down James forcing him to shoot only 38.1 percent from the field. He finished the series averaging 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds. In game 6 Iguodala scored 25 points and added 5 rebounds. He was the best player in the playoffs and deserved to be named the Finals MVP.

“He was great the entire series. But he saved this season for us,” said Draymond Green. “I always say Andre’s a pro’s pro. He’s a professional guy, and it showed, and that’s why he’s the MVP of the series, and that’s why we’re champions.”

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Community

Four Candidates, Including Incumbent Barbara Lee, Qualify for Oakland Mayor’s Race

POST NEWS GROUP — Four candidates, including incumbent Mayor Barbara Lee, filed their papers to run for office by last Friday’s deadline, and the City Clerk issued a list this week of those who are qualified to run.

Published

9 hours ago

August 15, 2026

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View of downtown Oakland, California and City Hall. iStock photo.

By Post Staff

The four mayoral candidates who will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot are:

Brenda Grisham. A business owner in East Oakland and public safety advocate, Grisham led the successful recall campaign against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. As part of her platform, she pledges to work with local, state, and federal partners to secure stricter gun control measures and investments in community violence intervention programs.

Barbara Lee. A former congressional representative and state Assembly member, Lee was elected by voters in a special election last year for a two-year term. Now running for a four-year term, she points out that her administration achieved major successes in addressing some of the city’s major challenges, including balancing the city budget, dramatically reducing crime, and making significant inroads into homelessness and illegal dumping.

Mindy Pechenuk. An educator and activist, Pechenuk is a registered Republican and supporter of Lyndon LaRouche, who has been described by observers as a conspiracy theorist and cult leader. She ran unsuccessfully for mayor in last year’s special election and for the at-large council seat in 2024. She seeks to end Oakland’s police commission and MACRO and invest in more police while launching a new local war on drugs.

Julius Robinson. While little information is available so far about Robinson, he was quoted in a KTVU story about Thao’s recall, stating that people in Oakland want to come together as a community but lack infrastructure and leadership.

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Black History

Oakland Observes Black August with Block Parties, Film Showings, Workshops

POST NEWS GROUP — Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

Published

12 hours ago

August 15, 2026

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George Jackson wrote two books: “Soledad Brother,” and “Blood in My Eye” before her was killed in an attempt to escape prison on Aug. 21, 1971.

By Jana Lang, Propel Youth Reporter

Study. Train. Fast. Fight.

These are the four tenets of Black August, a month dedicated to commemorating the sacrifices of political prisoners and Black revolutionaries in the struggle for Black liberation.

Observers are urged to study the history of the Black struggle for freedom, train their bodies for health and self-defense, fast to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, and fight ongoing oppression alongside their communities and local political organizations.

Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

While in prison, George befriended fellow prisoner W.L. Nolen, who introduced him to the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Frantz Fanon. This radicalization coupled with his experiences of violence while imprisoned led to him writing and publishing two books, “Soledad Brother” (1970), and “Blood in my Eye” (1972). In January of 1970, George and two other prisoners were charged with murdering a corrections officer at Soledad State Prison in Monterey County.

On Aug. 7, 1970, Jonathan Jackson burst into a Marin County courtroom armed with a shotgun to demand the freedom of the Soledad Brothers. He, along with the inmates he freed, was shot and killed while driving away. This involved one of the Black Panther Party’s most notable associates, Angela Davis, because the shotgun was registered in her name. She was later acquitted of charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder in 1972.

On Aug. 21, 1971, George Jackson was assassinated by a corrections officer after attempting to escape and free other inmates. As a result, there were uprisings and protests within prisons all over the country that year, calling forth resistance against racial oppression and mass incarceration.

Since its outset, Black August has evolved across the country, taking many forms to honor this history and embody the four tenets.

In Oakland, the upcoming Black August Experience, hosted by Youth Alive! and the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), is a free, family-friendly event celebrating the legacy of Black August. Activities include free food and drinks, a kids’ activity zone, interactive workshops, live cooking and boxing demonstrations, and more.

Happening on Aug. 21 from 4-8 p.m. at the EOBA Patio, Carolyn Flynn, director of administration at EOBA, said the event, in its second year, will be an opportunity to engage with people in person through food, shared space, and education.

“We do regular classes in education, and those are ongoing programs that we offer, but we wanted to have [an opportunity] for our neighbors to utilize this space.” Combined with Youth Alive’s work in community violence prevention and youth leadership, this event surely aims to bring the Oakland community together to capture what Black August means today.

Here are additional Black August events happening in Oakland:

Forum and Community Discussion hosted by the Oakland Liberation Center, 1499 Fruitvale Ave., Aug. 14, 7 p.m.

“George Jackson/San Quentin” Screening hosted by Nostalgic for Nothing Cinema at Moments Co-Op, 410 13th St., Aug. 16, doors at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. (Masks required and scent-free)

Commemorating the Struggle, Building the Altar for Liberation: Black August at Bandung Books, 2269 International Blvd., Aug. 23rd, 1-5 p.m.

Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.