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When the Golden State Warriors take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs, the back-and-forth won’t just come from fans of both teams. The San Francisco vs. Los Angeles narrative has long been a part of sports, whether it be Warriors-Lakers, Giants-Dodgers or the Golden Gate Bridge vs. the Hollywood sign. It’ll be on full display in the stands and on social media when Golden State and LA meet up in the second round starting with Game 1 Tuesday night.
The DK Nation staff takes a look at both cities, their perception and the NorCal-SoCal rivalry ahead of this series.
Chinmay Vaidya, Sports Editor
Having spent some time in both places recently, I can say there is a different feel to each city despite both being in California. Los Angeles does have that starry pull and glitz, while San Francisco feels more functional on the backdrop of breathtaking views. LA is the home of entertainment and fame, while the Bay is the place for technological advancements and innovation. This contrast will be on display when the Warriors and Lakers face off.
There are some similarities between the two cities residents likely won’t want to admit. Both are large, expensive places that feel like they are fading in the national conversation. Both downtowns are not bustling spaces they once were, although Bay Area locals likely have more of a foothold in this regard than the LA crowd.
However, these are still two of the premier cities in the USA and the world. They have enough pull to attract people from across the globe, and this rivalry has plenty of juice heading into one of the biggest playoff series in recent NBA history.
Gabriel Santiago, DK Nation Newsdesk
We can’t talk Warriors-Lakers without addressing the elephant in the room: The intrastate rivalry between LA and the Bay. Whether it is Giants-Dodgers, Cal-UCLA, Stanford-USC or BART-Metro, there is an omnipresent clash between NorCal and SoCal. Honestly, the two regions can’t even agree on who has better Mexican food. You might assume Los Angeles has that cuisine battle won, but East Oakland, Hayward and San Francisco’s Mission district absolutely have tacos and burritos that can compete. Then there are the more subtle cultural differences such as local vernacular. Candidly, I am not here to argue whether or not food can “slap” (it cannot; only sounds/audio/music can slap), but when it comes to LA and the Bay, it really is that petty.
On another note, It would be fun if the “Mt. Westmore” rappers could get involved in this upcoming Warriors-Lakers series; With Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube from Los Angeles, and E-40 and Too $hort from the Bay, the four of them watching the games with each other would make for tremendous content.
At the end of the day, we Californians will always have “El Camino Real” (US Route 101) to tie us all together. Let us hope for a thrilling clash between two of basketball’s biggest brands featuring two of the game’s biggest superstars, in two of the world’s most diverse metro areas.