The Golden State Warriors punching their ticket to the NBA Finals Monday night ensured that for the first time since 2003, one region's NHL and NBA franchises would be involved in their respective leagues' championship series at the same time. About 35 miles separate Oracle Arena in Oakland and SAP Center in San Jose.
The hard part: No city or region has ever won both a Stanley Cup and an NBA title in the same spring. The closest it came to happening was 1994, when the New York Rangers hoisted the cup while their MSG counterpart, the Knicks, fell to the Houston Rockets in seven games.
| Year | City/Region | NBA team | NHL team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Bay Area | Warriors | Sharks |
| 2003 | New Jersey | Nets | Devils* |
| 1994 | New York | Knicks | Rangers* |
| 1992 | Chicago | Bulls* | Blackhawks |
| 1980 | Philadelphia | 76ers | Flyers |
| 1974 | Boston | Celtics* | Bruins |
| 1972 | New York | Knicks | Rangers |
(* - won championship)
Up until now with the Warriors and Sharks, all other teams shared arenas. The last time a city came away empty-handed after having both teams in the final round was Philadelphia in 1980.
