Golden Days: West's Lakers, Steph's Warriors, and the California Dreamers Who Reinvented Basketball

With this volume, McCallum (Dream Team) compares the 1971 Los Angeles Lakers to the current Golden State Warriors, Hall-of-Famer Jerry West linking the two teams together as a player for the Lakers and a consultant for the Warriors. Both teams are known for their fast, entertaining playing style. The Lakers, led by West and Wilt Chamberlain, won the 1971 NBA Championship, including a record 36-game winning streak. Stephen Curry brought the Warriors to championship wins in 2015 and 2017. But the success of both teams was not predestined. West and the Lakers lost in the finals seven times before their eventual victory. Before Peter Guber and Joe Lacob purchased the struggling Warriors and brought in a Silicon Valley business philosophy, Golden State was seen as an undesirable place to play. Both teams experienced drama even in success, such as the unexpected retirement of Laker Elgin Baylor and the firing of Warriors head coach Mark Jackson. McCallum effectively recounts numerous rivalries, personalities, achievements, and games throughout NBA history.