The Golden State Warriors hosted the Lakers Saturday night at Oracle Arena. The teams have met dozens of times over the years but rarely have the Warriors, who entered the game 18-9, been the favorites.

There still would be great satisfaction with a victory, but it shouldn’t be considered unexpected anymore. The Warriors are growing past that. They’re racking up wins, vying for not only a playoff spot but a high seed in the Western Conference. The Warriors have improved dramatically over the last few seasons, hiring legitimate basketball people, including a coach (Mark Jackson) who wasn’t a bargain, as well as former player agent Bob Myers as general manager and Hall of Famer Jerry West as a consultant.