It felt as if a good part of Oakland had taken the floor. That was so appropriate as the Warriors celebrated their NBA championship Monday night, because they won this one for the city. They did it in the fashion of their dreams — as a team. And for all the hugs among the players and their families on a hardwood surface packed with joyous humanity, a good number of fans got an up-close taste of victory.

This is a team that will play in San Francisco someday, and that holds its own brand of promise, but nothing could possibly duplicate the Warriors’ time in Oakland, or the feeling inside Oracle Arena as the beautiful truth — two titles in three years — became reality.

Stephen Curry, who somehow willed his way to 34 points, found LeBron James almost immediately, and the two global superstars embraced with mutual admiration. Then Curry immersed himself in fandom, high-fiving anyone wearing a gold shirt. Soon he was jumping up and down, unabashedly childlike, about to find his mother and two precious daughters amid the swirl of well-wishers.

Back to Gallery Warriors’ title merges a team and city 5 1 of 5 Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle 2 of 5 Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle 3 of 5 Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle 4 of 5 Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle 5 of 5 Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle









Heroic figures were everywhere: Kevin Durant, voted the Finals MVP after a 39-point performance that validated everything he envisioned about coming to Oakland. Andre Iguodala, who scored 20 points off the bench and had more dunks than the Cleveland Cavaliers would care to count. Draymond Green, who contributed 10 points, 12 rebounds, no turnovers and not a single emotional breakdown. David West, Patrick McCaw, Klay Thompson — so many Warriors would sleep especially well this night, knowing they played a significant role.

“We learned from everything we’ve been through,” Curry told the crowd, and as he continued, the chant of “MVP!” drowned out his words. That would be Durant’s honor for the series, but on a night when Curry shot 2-for-9 from three-point range, yet drove to the basket with a fury and patiently orchestrated the Golden State offense, it spoke to his winning the past two MVP awards for the regular season.

General manager Bob Myers and assistant coach Bruce Fraser, a couple of men known to take the measured view, were smiling and laughing like sailors out on the town, and let’s hope someone got the photo; it’s one for the Warriors’ scrapbook. Ever the jokester, head coach Steve Kerr told ABC, “We had very little talent, actually — it was mostly coaching.” And the fans lingered, knowing there was no better place to be, before finally filing out to the parking lot and a city most deserving of this championship.

For the first time since 1974, when the A’s celebrated their third consecutive title on the Coliseum’s green grass, a Bay Area pro sports team had won a championship in its home venue. How fitting that the Warriors’ title came just a few yards away, all these years later. Because in the end, Oakland was the centerpiece.

This win was for every dreamy-eyed East Bay kid who wants to be just like Curry or Iguodala when he or she grows up. It was for all the parents who could hardly stand to watch through the lean years. Cutting deeper to the heart, it was for the intensely loyal fans who go back to the 1971-72 season, when the Warriors first played at the arena known as the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, with the likes of Jim Barnett, Cazzie Russell and Nate Thurmond on the squad.

Score this one for the old-timers who identify with every last moment, grimly recalling Russell Cross, Todd Fuller and Chris Washburn. It’s for those on a first-name basis with Muggsy (Bogues), Bimbo (Coles), Speedy (Claxton), Mookie (Blaylock), Cheese (Johnson) and Vonteego (Cummings).

All that and Purvis Short, too, with a taste of Sonny Parker and Terry Teagle. The entirety of the team’s Oakland history marked a 45-year prelude to this night, the ultimate homecourt victory.

Valiant as they were, the Cavaliers found far too many difficult questions to answer. James was sensational with his 41 points and 13 rebounds, and for a while, Kyrie Irving was darting about the court in his usual mercurial manner. But Irving aggravated his surgically repaired knee in the first half, and wasn’t the same thereafter. “Kind of took the wind out of my sails,” he said afterward. “But no excuses. Not against a great team like that.”

Kerr found himself wet, in every sense. He was in tears as he hugged his wife, knowing that as he overcame his lingering back issues to return to the bench, he’d endured more physical discomfort than any outsider could grasp. Back in celebration mode, he was thoroughly drenched in the locker room, his soaked hair a comical sight as he addressed the media.

“Hell of a series,” Kerr said. “Five games didn’t do it justice, just for how competitive it was. There were times where I was just stunned, looking at the talent on the floor, between both teams ... incredible, high-level basketball out there. ...

“Obviously, we were heartbroken last year, but this year was our turn.”

And it was Oakland’s turn, as well. Finally, and worth the wait.

Bruce Jenkins is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: bjenkins@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Bruce_Jenkins1