Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) quipped Monday that the Golden State Warriors' rally from a 3-to-1 series deficit to win the Western Conference Finals was a "good omen" for his presidential campaign.
Sanders, in California almost nonstop lately in a bid to win the state's Democratic primary, was in the Oracle Arena stands to see the Warriors win Game 7 Monday night, 96-88, over the Oklahoma City Thunder. They advance to the NBA Finals in a bid to defend their 2015 championship.
"They turned it around," Sanders said right after the game. "I think that is what our campaign is going to do as well. A very good omen for our campaign."
With Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton adding campaign events in California out of worry about a potential Sanders victory there, CBS correspondent Nancy Cordes said "it's a sign" that the game is still on.
Sanders remains a major long shot to win the nomination, and Clinton is poised to clinch the necessary number of delegates next week.
However, Clinton and Sanders are essentially deadlocked in California.
"A loss in California would be damaging, but Clinton will likely reach the 2,383 delegates she needs to clinch the nomination, regardless of California's outcome," Cordes said.
Sanders, however, said that the race is not over until the convention in July. Clinton holds a wide lead over Sanders with unpledged superdelegates, whom he is trying to sway to join his camp.
Golden State set an NBA record in the regular season with a 73-9 record, but the Thunder pushed them to the brink and held double-digit leads in Games 6 and 7.
However, led by Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry, Golden State's dazzling three-point shooting was too much for the Thunder down the stretch.
Unlike Sanders, however, the top-seeded Warriors were favored to win the series over the Thunder.