After 39 seasons of failure, the Golden State Warriors are finally N.B.A. champions again. Considering how often the team has struggled over the years, the wait, though not nearly a record, sometimes felt endless.
A generation of basketball fans grew up thinking of the Warriors as doormats, and Coach Steve Kerr said bringing a title to such a passionate fan base meant a great deal to him.
“I remember coming into Oracle as a player year after year, playing against lousy teams and the fans were there every single year,” Kerr said. “Loud, supportive, passionate.