The celebration of the professional NBA basketball champions, the Golden State Warriors, and the Ice Hockey (NHL), the Capitals of Washington, had the originality of falling on the same day both, but with scenarios and protagonists very different
While in the center of the streets of Oakland, the Warriors players paraded before more than a million people and celebrated with bottles of champagne, in Washington DC, the Capitals before a much reduced attendance, of just over 100,000 people, and the professionals did it with beer.
Despite different protagonists and scenarios both teams confirmed in the field that they are the best and in the case of the Warriors for the second year in a row and the third in the last four after they swept the Cavaliers of Cleveland 4-0.
That gave them the right to become the new dynasty within the NBA to get six league titles as Warriors, but in three different venues.
The Warriors won titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018, with each year scored on the rings of Green’s shirt, while the Cavaliers returned from a deficit of 1-3 and won it in 2016.
That winning trajectory, which is now in the hands of base Stephen Curry, forward Kevin Durant, guard Klay Thompson and power forward Draymond Green, allows them to have the projection of being the team to beat in the coming years, if I expected the core of the team is going to maintain.
Not in vain the largest number of banners that were seen during the entire celebration in downtown Oakland, which also had a dreamy climate, were those that had the word “Dynasty” written on it.
Hence, as assured by the Warriors majority owner, Joseph Lacob, are ready to make a better team after checking, that had it not been for the injury of base Chris Paul, the Houston Rockets could have been in his position .
“It was a very difficult, complicated and hard-working year, although in the end we managed to win the title, but we learned that we not only want to stay with all the best players we have, but we are going to reinforce ourselves,” said Lacob.
While in Washington DC the Capitals fans had to wait 40 years, which has been founded the franchise, for the team to achieve their first Stanley Cup title, and did so thanks to the figure of the Russian winger, the veteran Alex Ovechkin .
Precisely, Ovechkin was the main protagonist of the parade and the center of attention when he shouted excitedly “We are the Champions of the Stanley Cup”, and then get carried away by the already characteristic series of guttural cries, which the fans accompanied with their own.
The other image that left the parade of the Capitals, that occurred through Constitution Avenue, was to see all the players took in their hands bottles of beer to be able to do much more pleasant all the act of the parade and the declarations before the thousands of followers who accompanied them and who chanted “We are The Champions”.
The triumph of the Capitals has already transcended much beyond the sport of ice hockey, given that it allowed the nation’s capital to celebrate for the first time, in 26 years, the title won by a professional team that has its headquarters there and demonstrate that can welcome champions.
Something that had been questioned and that prevented the big stars of other sports from going to play with professional teams based in Washington.
Now, thanks to the Capitals and figures like Ovechkin, the image is very different as recognized by Ted Leonsis, the duel of the new NHL champions.
“We have the best fans in the world and now also the best ice hockey team,” said Leonsis, who also owns the Washington Wizards and with whom he seeks the title of NBA champions.
The victory of the Capitals has relaunched the idea that the Wizards can enter to be part of the teams that have interest in getting the services of the star forward LeBron James when starting next July 1 enters to form part of the market of the free agents .
Now the Wizards can offer James, one of the most talented and quality squads in the Eastern Conference, and also the atmosphere of a city that has championship teams, if he wants to continue in the search for more titles. league.
Hence, while in Oakland, the figure of James was present to be mocked, in Washington through the Capitals they sent him the message that would be very well received.
Rubén Mantilla
