Sometimes in life it’s important to understand exactly how you got where you are. Other times it’s better to just enjoy the moment. On Friday night, I was on my feet with 20,000 screaming fans all decked out in yellow like the sun glistening on the ocean as the Warriors blew out the Mavericks 109-91. It was so surreal, I had to keep reminding myself what was actually happening. The Warriors were in the playoffs.

Playoffs? PLAYOFFS?

If you’d asked me two months ago if there was even a chance I’d be clapping and chanting, “Let’s go Warriors” in May, I’d say maybe during the lottery. The road to the 2007 playoffs has been improbable to say the least for the Golden State Warriors.

I still have a hard time believing it.

But then it happened. Right before the trade deadline, Indiana wanted to dump “bad character” guys, and for some bizarre reason, took on the large contracts of the Dun-Murphy sisters. Two forwards who not only had problems scoring the basketball, but were two of the worst defensive players ever to step foot on an NBA court.

In return the Warriors received Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson. Their reputation: two thugs who don’t play defense and care about their personal stats more then winning. In reality Harrington plays active team defense and is a great scorer both inside and out, but Jackson’s skills surprised me the most.

After watching him day to day, I’ve realized how good a passer he is, how he can lock someone down defensively (See Dirk Nowitzki) and how good a teammate he is (in fact, during the Malice at the Palace he jumped into a melee to support his fellow player). Yes we need to keep him away from guns, strip clubs and automobiles away from the court, but ON the court, there is no flaw in his character. Yes his emotions get the best of him sometimes, but the same could be said of Rasheed Wallace. You think Detroit wants to give him back? By the way, Jackson DID start on a title winning team in San Antonio. San Antonio! You don’t start on a team coached by Greg Popovich and not play D.

Still, it took time for the team to gel. Jason Richardson was still coming back from injury, Baron Davis missed a few games, the Warriors were spinning in neutral. Then Don Nelson did something that seemed ludicrous at the time; he benched one of the young promising centers in the league, Andris Biedrins, and started Monta Ellis in his place. Only Nellie would pull his starting center for his backup point guard, but he did, and it worked. The team played hard, the team had fun, and the team was pretty tough to beat. Five guys could start the break, five guys could finish. Five guys were swiping for the ball, five guys were creating havoc. Over the last three months of the season no one had more steals than Ellis, no one forced more turnovers as a team than the Warriors, and no team scored more points. Golden State had to finish 9-1 just to make the postseason.

It had to win the final game of the season, against one of the worst teams in the NBA, missing their three best players. The Warriors did it handily, and it felt like a Super Bowl victory.

Just MAKING it to the playoffs was a dream for me. Winning Game 1 was a living fantasy.

And there I was Game 3.

And thankfully Game 4.

And I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.

Game 6, I watched on TV. I don’t think my heart could take the live thing again. The intensity of it was more emotionally draining than I was prepared for (On Sunday, I actually got so light headed from screaming, jumping and clapping that I almost blacked out twice, true story, I think I need to drink more water or something).

The Warriors didn’t just win, they dominated.

I have no idea how they got to that point; over the past week I haven’t analyzed one piece of footage.

I just know the Warriors are in the second round.

I’ve just enjoyed the ride.