The onetime bottom feeder of the NBA is just a victory away from the NBA Finals, five wins from a championship.The most successful path to a championship seems to be when owners hire smart people to run their teams and then let them do their jobs.The Warriors made a conscious decision a few years ago, before Joe Lacob and Peter Guber bought the team, before head coach Steve Kerr and general manager Bob Myers arrived, before executive Rick Welts and consultant Jerry West came on board.Former general manager and current director of scouting Larry Riley decided to make character a priority.The Warriors, after all, drafted a super nice player named Todd Fuller once upon a time.The Warriors' path is similar to the direction the Giants took after the team's reputation was tainted by Barry Bonds' steroid scandal, and its clubhouse had been a divided, unhappy place for years.The Giants wanted a leader, a new face, a "rock-solid guy," in the words of general manager Brian Sabean.A high-character guy won't pout if his coach is replaced, won't make trouble about his salary, won't stiff the media or the fans.Ask Kerr, who has five rings and a Ph.D. in championship teams, what such groups have...