1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: On this episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly. Just a few 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: years ago, after a rash of injuries and a loss 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: to the Toronto Raptors in the Championship, it seemed like 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: the Golden State Warriors dynasty might be done. SI Senior 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: writer Howard Beck revisits how the franchise rebooted itself on 6 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: the fly and reached the NBA Finals again. But first, 7 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: s I Senior writer Chris Mannox joins me to discuss 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: how the Boston Celtics turned their season around in January 9 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: and reached the NBA Finals with a host of young 10 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: players on the rise, a new coach, and a reconfigured 11 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: front office. It's Wednesday, June eight. I'm your host, John 12 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: Gonzalez from Sports Illustrated and I Heart Radio. This is 13 00:00:48,040 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated Weekly. The Golden State warrior As are in 14 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years. 15 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: And while that's impressive, they've been here and they've done that, 16 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,639 Speaker 1: and we've seen them do it, but they're pitted against 17 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: the Boston Celtics, a young team that was under five 18 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: hundred and in utter shambles as late as January before 19 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: they turned it around ran through the Eastern Conference and 20 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: reached their first finals in well over a decade. To 21 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: discuss the ascendant Celtics, they're bright present and they're seemingly 22 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: shiny future, we bring in our resident Celtics expert from 23 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: the Crossover podcast, Chris Mannox. Welcome back to Sports Illustrated Weekly. 24 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: Happy to be here. So we have you here to 25 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: talk about the Boston Celtics. Much to my chagrin, the 26 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: series is tied, won one. First game went really well 27 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: for them, second game after the half was a disaster. 28 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: Games three and four in Boston coming up as we 29 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: record this. I think if you told them, Chris, before 30 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: the series started, that they take one in San Francisco, 31 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: they'd probably be cool with that, right they would, But 32 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: they're definitely going to be some discussions on the flight 33 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: back about what went wrong in San Francisco. I mean, 34 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:12,639 Speaker 1: these third quarters have become disastrous for this team, and 35 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: it's a relatively new phenomena for the Celtics. You know, 36 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: the regular season, they were plus two point seven in 37 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: the third quarter. In the playoffs they were minus zero 38 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 1: point eight, which is not good but not catastrophic. In 39 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: recent series, though they have had some absolutely catastrophic third quarters. 40 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: I mean Game three against Milwaukee in the Conference semifinals, 41 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: Game one against Miami in the Conference Finals, the last 42 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: two games of this series, where they have just been 43 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: blitzed at the start of both these quarters. And when 44 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: you ask the Celtics and the coaches about why it's happening, 45 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: they can't really put their finger on it. There's nothing 46 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: schematically they're doing differently that's forcing this problem upon them. 47 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: It's just all lack of intensity, a lack of focus, 48 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: just a lack of energy coming out of the game 49 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: after halftime. So that's a problem. The other is the turnovers. 50 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: Like you can draw a straight line between bad Celtic 51 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: losses and high turnovers and Game two nineteen turnovers, which 52 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: let the thirty three points for the Warriors. That's your 53 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: ball game right there. Eleven live ball turnovers, that's your 54 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: ball game right there. So like these are the things 55 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: the Celtics have to dig into. I think some of 56 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: the other stuff is solvable, like a subpar game from 57 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: Al Horford, a subpar game from Marcus Smart. You get 58 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: back home, we do some different things, they'll be fine. 59 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: But these third quarters and the turnovers are things that 60 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: have become consistent negative themes for the Celtics displayoffs. Yeah, 61 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: the turnovers for sure not great, and that's something that 62 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: they need to clean up. The third quarter thing is 63 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: interesting to me because yes, you can trace some problems 64 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: for the Celtics back to other series. But on the 65 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: flip side, the Warriors are known for blowing teams out 66 00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: in the third quarter. No, so, like, how much credit 67 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: do you give the Warriors for just being the Warriors 68 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: in those third periods? Oh? A ton of credit. And look, 69 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: if I hadn't seen what I'd seen, you know, during 70 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: these playoffs, I'd say it's all Golden State and the 71 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: self does not have to adjust accordingly. But Game three 72 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: against Milwaukee was such a clunker. It's just remarkable how 73 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,919 Speaker 1: poorly they played. You know, Game one against Miami, they 74 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: should have won that game by all rights. They came 75 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: on the third quarter, had the doors blown off. Like, 76 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: this is just becoming a thing to the point where 77 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: you almost think the Celtics coaching staff should start thinking 78 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: outside the box, Like, instead of going into the locker 79 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: room at halftime to discuss adjustments, let's just sit here 80 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: and watch see low Green perform and kind of enjoy 81 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: the moment and hang out and act like the time 82 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: between the second and third quarter is just one long 83 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: time out. Like something's got to change in their defense. 84 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: If I see Celo, I'm checking out till CeeLo was 85 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 1: the halftime show in Game two. That was great. I 86 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: enjoyed him. That was bits and pieces of all his 87 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: best songs. But like, I mean, something's got changed though, 88 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: Like something is happening where this team is not coming 89 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: out with the requisite energy. It's happening at home, it's 90 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: happening on the road, and if they don't fix it, 91 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: this series is not going to go their way. So 92 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 1: I'm confused about this series. You saw the first two 93 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 1: games up close and personal, I would have been you 94 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: know when we had our SI staff picks. I took 95 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: the Warriors just because of muscle memory. I know you 96 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: took the Celtics. Game one happens. I was shocked, floor 97 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 1: jaw on the floor watching the Celtics come back because 98 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: I thought, oh, the Warriors are up, this is over. 99 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: And then the Celtics just blew past them actor Horrford 100 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: for the latest three. And then you have Game two 101 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: where the second half was no contest, right, I mean 102 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: the Celtics were just not in it. As you mentioned, 103 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: they're watching CLO and doing a bunch of other stuff 104 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: without not playing basketball. I don't know what to make 105 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: of this series as it turns to Boston. How do 106 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 1: you feel about it? Look, I still think the Celtics 107 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: are the better team. I thought that throughout why I 108 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: picked them to win in six games. When I look 109 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:00,359 Speaker 1: at the Warriors, you see all the championship experience, but 110 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 1: that championship experience has bottled dumped into like three guys 111 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: on that roster, so you've also got a whole bunch 112 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: of guys that are just being there for the first time. 113 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: I also see a lot of minus defenders on Golden State. 114 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: I see Jordan Poole, who is a minus defender. I 115 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: think Clay Thompson is at best an average defender at 116 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 1: this point. That's an interesting point because offensively he's looked 117 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: clay ish, But you're right, he doesn't look like the 118 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: Clay that we saw pre injuries. And that's been a 119 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: theme since he came back from the injury. Right Like, 120 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: Golden State has tried to hide him on bigger players 121 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: because they don't believe he can stay with the quicker 122 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: guys this close to coming back from the injury. It's 123 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: not a knock on Clay. I mean he's coming back 124 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: from two major lower leg injuries. Like that's the kind 125 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: of thing that obviously takes a lot of time to 126 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: get all your strength back and all your movement back from. 127 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: But I think he's a minus defender at this point. 128 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 1: So you're and Steph. Look, Steph's having his best pensive season, 129 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 1: but that still doesn't make him a plus defender in 130 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: my mind. So that's why I thought Boston, if they 131 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: can just stop shooting themselves in the foot with these 132 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: turnovers and these bad third quarters, they'll find a way 133 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: to win because they can lean on their defense. Their defense, 134 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: top to bottom, one through weight is great. Like they 135 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 1: don't put a minus defender on the floor. And when 136 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 1: you can do that and you can put that type 137 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: of line up out there, you're gonna win a lot 138 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 1: of games. Even this deep into the playoffs. You're gonna 139 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: be able to beat teams on defense alone, if you 140 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: just run a relatively efficient, relatively low turnover offense. Yeah, 141 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: their defense really has been their hallmark the entire time, 142 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: and they've looked really good and against my better judgment, Chris. 143 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: I've really enjoyed the first two games of this series, 144 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: even though one of the teams is from Boston, and 145 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: anybody who's aware of my history and follows me on 146 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: social media knows that the Celtics have been the bane 147 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: of my existence for some time. But we have you 148 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: on this program to discuss the rise of these young 149 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: Celtics and how they got here in the first place, 150 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: because they were under five hundred on January two, we 151 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: had you and Howard back on to discuss them previously. 152 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: They've just been so good since then. I asked you 153 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: this before, I'm gonna ask you this again. At the time, 154 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: people were talking about maybe they need to split up 155 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: the Jay's Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown and what's going 156 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: on with them and something's broken? What changed? You know? 157 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: It's interesting. I had this conversation over the phone with 158 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: Emay Udoka over the weekend and I was asking him 159 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: this specific question about the evolution of this team from 160 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: October to where we are now, and one of the 161 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: things he talked about a lot was that it just 162 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: took time for this team to get what he wanted 163 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: them to do, and that was on both ends of 164 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: the floor. I mean, for most of this roster they 165 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: had played a defensive style that was completely different than 166 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: what Emay wants to coach, the switching style, which you 167 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 1: can only really do if you have five guys on 168 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 1: the floor that can defend at least four positions. That's 169 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:56,959 Speaker 1: the only way you can do it. And the Celtics 170 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: had that this year for the first time in their 171 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: recent streams, So getting them to understand how to play 172 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: that style of defense took a long time. At the 173 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: same time, getting Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown to buy 174 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: into being playmakers took some time. Like Marcus Smart came in, 175 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: and Marcus Smart has done a remarkable job as a 176 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: lead guard, a better job than anyone myself included, could 177 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: have expected him to do. But in addition to Marcus Smart, 178 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 1: you needed Brown and Tatum to not just be scores, 179 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: to emphasize being playmakers, and that took some time for 180 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: them to figure it out. There were the other reasons, 181 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: of course, the COVID issues this team dealt with as 182 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: many teams did throughout the NBA, and other health issues 183 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: they dealt with in the first couple of months. But 184 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: from a basketball sense. Those two things took months for 185 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: this team to figure out. And I was asking Email, like, 186 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: when did you see the turn? He talked about the 187 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: New Year's e game against Phoenix where they just clapper 188 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 1: the Suns and everything was working for them. That was 189 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: only three days I think after they got hammered by 190 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: Minnesota and it was not the Timberwolves. It was like 191 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: the Gene timber Wolves, because everybody was out for the 192 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: Wolves that day. So days later they got it together, 193 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: they got it right, and they beat Phoenix and that that, 194 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 1: to Email and to others within the organization, was a 195 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: real turning point for that team. So was it just 196 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: all basketball though? Because it makes sense to me that, Okay, 197 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:19,439 Speaker 1: Emay comes in and he's got the system and he 198 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: wants them to adjust a new way of playing and 199 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: as you said, switching everything and you have to have 200 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: the right personnel. All of that makes sense from a 201 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: basketball standpoint, But what about from like a managerial standpoint? 202 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: Because I've had this conversation with Steve Kerr previously where 203 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: he'll he'll say, you know, I think the vast majority 204 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: of head coaching in the NBA is managing personalities, right. 205 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: He he told me that he thought that head coaches 206 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: should actually be called managers in the same way that 207 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: soccer clubs have managers. And I'm wondering how they adjusted 208 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: to Emay initially or had trouble adjusting to him, maybe 209 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: potentially because he was kind of very publicly critical of 210 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: them and and some players might not respond to that. Well. 211 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: I did you discuss that with him? Yeah? I did. 212 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 1: And look, I do TV for NBC Sports in Boston 213 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: as well, and I do the pre and postgame show 214 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: for them, and I can vividly remember after every game 215 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: in the first two months of the season, sitting through 216 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: the email UDUKA press conference then coming back on camera 217 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 1: with this like befuddled look on my face about how 218 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: Emay could just napalm these guys. I mean, he was 219 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: just lighting them up. I said that to the group. 220 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: I said, that's as ugly as it could get. Um. 221 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: One thing I can't stand as the coaches to get 222 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: punked out there, and I felt they basically come out 223 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:35,959 Speaker 1: and came out and punked us out, played us, played 224 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: harder than us all the things we talked about. That 225 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 1: was in such stark contrast to the approach that Brad 226 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: Stevens took about kind of how to handle bad losses. 227 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 1: I like, I remember I filled in a couple of 228 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,959 Speaker 1: times for Brian Scalabrini in the previous season. I had 229 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,959 Speaker 1: done the color commentary, and I remember through an intermediary, 230 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: Bratt had told me like, if something goes wrong, blame 231 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: the coach. You don't blame the players on the air, 232 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: kind of you know, tongue in cheek in a way. 233 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: But that was kind of his mindset, right, Like he 234 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: he wanted to absorb all the criticism because he believed 235 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,559 Speaker 1: it was for the long term benefit of the team. 236 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 1: Emayodoga does not believe that. And that's not something that 237 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: he picked up from like Greg Popovitch, or from Steve Nash, 238 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: or from Brett Brown. That's just him. As I was 239 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: asking that, I'm like, you know, Pop could be critical 240 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: at times, like, yeah, Pop didn't. I guess that maybe 241 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:29,199 Speaker 1: made me believe that my approach could work. But this 242 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: is just me, And when I see something going wrong, 243 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna let it out. Everything I say publicly, I'm 244 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: also saying privately, so there's no static going on in between. 245 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 1: But I do think John that these guys wanted to 246 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: be coached this way. I think that they had gone 247 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: as far as they could with kind of the soft 248 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: stick that Brad Stevens coach with. And Brad Stevens, I 249 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 1: think to this day, is a top ten coach in 250 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: the NBA. He is a great XS and those guy, 251 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: but his voice had gotten a little bit lost on 252 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: that team and they needed someone to come in and 253 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: kick their backside. And that's exactly what he may did 254 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: from day one. I'm sure it was shocking at times 255 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: to a lot of those players there, but ultimately it 256 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: paid off. I'll give you an example, Robert Williams, who 257 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: is playing right now through what's got to be an 258 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: astonishing amount of pain. Like Robert Williams came back from 259 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: knee surgery after a month. A month, he's coming back 260 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: and playing playoff basketball after having significant knee surgery, and 261 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: every game he's day to day, he's playing through pain 262 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: every single night. You see him even in Game two, 263 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:35,959 Speaker 1: dragging his leg all around the floor. It's wild to 264 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: watch him out there. Robert Williams in years past does 265 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 1: not play through that type of pain in my opinion, 266 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 1: because Emailudoka from like training camp on was finding nine 267 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: different ways to call Robert Williams soft and basically to say, 268 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: Robert Williams needs to play through pain a lot more. 269 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: Even when you weren't asking about it. In the context 270 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: of Robert Williams, he would find a way to weave 271 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,439 Speaker 1: that into an answer some of his questions. I remember them. 272 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: I was sitting there listening to him talk about Robert 273 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: Williams at times, and he would bring that up about 274 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:10,479 Speaker 1: playing through pain. So Emay instilled a type of toughness 275 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: in this team that they didn't have in years past, 276 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: and that toughness, both mentally and physically, has helped them 277 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: get to this point. They would not be here right 278 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: now if they didn't have the toughness that email adoga 279 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: built into them. All right, So they change out Emay, 280 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: And it's kind of a cliche in sports where you say, 281 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 1: maybe you had a coach previously who tread it a 282 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: little softly, and then you come in with a guy 283 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: who gives you tough love, and so that works out 284 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: from the coaching and but it just kind of boggles 285 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: my mind that they made all of these changes at once, 286 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: and then they make the finals on top of it. 287 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: So they changed the head coach and Brad Stephen shifts 288 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: into the front office and Danny Angel leaves and this 289 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: whole thing is changed, but it ends up working for 290 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: them specifically and especially with Brad Stevens. Yeah, it really 291 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: was a perfect storm of events for this team because 292 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: as instrumental as Email Judoka the coach has been to 293 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: this team's success, Brad Stevens, the executive has been equally 294 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: as instrumental. I mean, Danny Ainge drafted six of the 295 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: top eight players on this roster. His fingerprints are all there, 296 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: But the other two guys the Celtics have were acquired 297 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: by Brad Stevens, and I don't believe that Danny Ainge 298 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: would have done the deals that Brad Stevens did. Danny, 299 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: as everybody knows, is extremely protective of his draft capital. 300 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: He wants to hoard draft picks and either use them 301 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: for players or package them into a bigger trade. I 302 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: don't believe that Danny Ainge would have traded a first 303 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: round pick in exchange for Al Horford back in June. 304 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: I don't believe that Danny Ainge would have thrown a 305 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: first round pick and swap rights into a deal with 306 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: San Antonio to get Derek White, and where would the 307 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: Celtics be without those two players. I mean, Al Horford 308 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: all season long has been an invaluable piece of the 309 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: front court rotation. Derek White has been a far better 310 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 1: fit for Eudocus system than Dennis Shrewder was with this team. 311 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: So those two deals, which I don't think would have 312 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: been done under the previous administration, have pushed the Celtics 313 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: to this point. So it really has been a confluence 314 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 1: of events that came together to get the Celtics to 315 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: this point. Yeah, I mean bringing back Horford at his 316 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: advanced stage or relative for a player. Anyway, it works out, 317 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: Derek White, it works out. But I'm wondering how much 318 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: credit you do give age because this is largely a 319 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 1: homegrown roster, right, I mean you still have the main 320 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 1: pieces being Tatum and Brown and Smart who were ange guys. Yeah, Look, 321 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: people focus I understand the focus on the misses that 322 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 1: Danny's had during his GM career, and look, every executive misses, 323 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: like there's no doubt about it. He's had some high 324 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: profile ones, um Kelly olynnok Over. Honest, not his best moment, 325 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: that's for sure, But a lot of guys, a lot 326 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: of teams missed on a lot of people. They did, 327 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: but you look at this roster. I mean, Jayson Tatum 328 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 1: was not this obvious choice. Back in two thousand seventeen. 329 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: People thought Mark el Foltz was the home run candidate. 330 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,360 Speaker 1: And he got killed. And I I say, Danny got killed. 331 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: Some people in Philadelphia thought that I was the one 332 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: killing him too. I wrote this whole column saying, like 333 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: Danny's putting his whole career on the line making this 334 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: deal that passed on Folts to get Tatum. So that's 335 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: a big age success. Jalen Brown. I remember being in 336 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: Boston the night Jalen Brown was drafted in two thousands sixteen. 337 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: He was booed. The draft pick was booed because Boston 338 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: fans wanted Chris Dunn, who played down in Providence. Danny 339 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: saw the potential in Jalen Brown. Grant Williams, who was 340 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: not a great three point shooter. In three years at Tennessee, 341 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 1: he has turned into a high level one, in part 342 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: because Danny and his staff saw that Grant Williams had 343 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 1: great shooting mechanics and could develop into that type of player. 344 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 1: So look, he's mine. These guys, and yes, He's had 345 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: some misses, but your favorite GMS had mrs too. There's 346 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: no doubt about Sam Presty has had Mrssayu Jerry has 347 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 1: had mrs. Everybody has misses, but the successes of Danny's 348 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: draft picks are a big reason why the Celtics are here. 349 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: The timing on all of it has just worked out 350 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: really well, luck of the Irish for the Boston Celtics. 351 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 1: But you mentioned some of these guys that he did 352 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: hit on, and you mentioned the roster as well for 353 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: the Boston Celtics, and I'm sitting here and I'm looking 354 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 1: at it, and it's frankly depressing for somebody who loves 355 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 1: Eastern Conference basketball and one team in specific that is 356 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: not the Celtics, because these guys are gonna be good, 357 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: it seems like for a very long time. Because their age, 358 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 1: they're all aside from Al Horford, they're all in their 359 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: earlier mid twenties. I mean, Jaylen Brown is twenty five, 360 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: Jayson Tatum is twenty four, Marcus Smart is twenty eight. 361 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: I mean, they have it looks like a team that 362 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: could really be a thorn in the Eastern Conference side 363 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: for quite some time. Yeah, they really could look. Al 364 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: Horford probably gonna be back next year. I think the 365 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: Celtics it's a no brainer to guarantee his contract for 366 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: next season. He's been that good. He looks like he's 367 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 1: aging pretty well, just turned thirty six, and he's having 368 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: a really high level season. Brown on the baseline horporate 369 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: side counted at one. I think the question they have 370 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 1: internally in Boston is what is the Al Horford succession plan? Like, 371 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: who's going to be that guy that becomes the versatile 372 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: four five that can do the things that Al does. 373 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 1: Grant Williams is kind of that guy, but he's not 374 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: everything that Al is, and I think they'd like to 375 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: identify that player, whether it's via the draft or free 376 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: agency moving forward. But all these pieces are intact. You 377 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 1: mentioned the age of all these guys. A lot of 378 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 1: them are under long term contracts. Jalen Brown's gonna have 379 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: an extension come up. I'm sure he'll get what he 380 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: wants from the celt because he continues to rise in 381 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 1: the NBA. It will be an expensive roster, make no mistake, 382 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 1: but this is the kind of team that you can 383 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: keep together and because of their defense, you can expect 384 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: them to go deep into the playoffs every single year. 385 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 1: Part of me picking the Warriors, aside from their muscle 386 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 1: memory and having been there before, was sort of the 387 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 1: inverse for the Celtics because we're talking about their age 388 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: right there. Young. Uh, this is a massive stage, and 389 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: yet it doesn't seem like the moment is too big 390 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 1: for them, and it really hasn't been this entire playoffs 391 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 1: because when we think about like the teams that they've 392 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: blown through, they start with the nets, which is everybody's 393 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: darling pick. Everybody said, oh, you know, bead draw for 394 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: the Celtics, blow through the nets. Then they beat the 395 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: Box in seven games, the defending champions, and then they 396 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: beat the number one seed in the East, the Heat 397 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: in seven games. And I think that that is really 398 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: a testament to yes, these guys are young, but that 399 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,160 Speaker 1: it is almost sort of like incidental to their success 400 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: this season. Yeah, Golden States at awkward roster, there's no 401 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: question about it. Yeah, the two teenagers that they've got 402 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 1: on the bench and James Wiseman who hasn't played this season, 403 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: they're an interesting roster to be sure. But I do 404 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: think that in a way with Golden State, some of 405 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: those young guys have kind of invigorated some of the 406 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,479 Speaker 1: older guys on the roster, and Draymond Green was kind 407 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: of talking about this a little bit over the weekend, 408 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: kind of how they get to know these younger players 409 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 1: and how they kind of connect with these younger players, 410 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: and think those younger guys that breathed a little bit 411 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:31,959 Speaker 1: of life into that roster. On top of it, you know, 412 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 1: going through what the Warriors went through over the last 413 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: couple of years with their down years, their gap year, 414 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: not having certainty about Clay Thompson coming back. I think 415 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: that's invigorated them as a team as well. So it's 416 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 1: been a couple of different things that with Golden State 417 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: that's pushed them into this point. And they're also we 418 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: talked about the Celtics future depending on whether you keep 419 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: the Moody's commingas the wiseman's of that team and developed 420 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 1: them or package them in a trade for somebody whe 421 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: it's Donovan Mitchell or somebody else, Damian Lillard, I don't 422 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 1: know who it might be. You can push this window 423 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: open a couple more years, like this is not the 424 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 1: last hurrah of Golden State by any stretch. What they 425 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: do next with those young players and their draft capital, 426 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: I think we'll really determine how long this windows open. Yeah. 427 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: I talked about that with Beck on this very program. 428 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:20,440 Speaker 1: Have they managed to sort of reboot the dynasty on 429 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 1: the fly and in a way the Celtics kind of 430 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: you know, it's not a dynasty, but they rebooted their 431 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: team on the fly with all the changes that they 432 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: made with the coaching staff, in the front office, and 433 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: now here they are in the finals the present, unfortunately, 434 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 1: and the future of the Eastern Conference and the NBA. 435 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: You've got a plane to catch games three and four 436 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 1: coming up in Boston. Don't worry, John, when Danny Ainge 437 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 1: flips Donovan Mitchell for like r J Barrett in three 438 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 1: first round picks, You'll live to hate a Celtic once again. 439 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: For the long term future, I've got plenty. It's bottomless hate. 440 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,200 Speaker 1: It's what we learned in Philadelphia. You've got a plane 441 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:52,360 Speaker 1: to catch three and four in Boston. Listen to him 442 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: on the Crossover podcast, read him on si dot com. 443 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: Chris Mannix has always thank you for this. You got 444 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: a John after a break, how the Warriors overcame adversity 445 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:14,680 Speaker 1: to make it back to the NBA Finals again. When 446 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: this show debuted way back in January, the very first 447 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 1: guest we had on was SI senior writer Howard Beck 448 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 1: to discuss how the Warriors had surprisingly managed to make 449 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 1: themselves relevant again. After all, just a few years ago, 450 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: Back and I were in Oakland to watch the Toronto 451 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 1: Raptors won a title on the Warriors home court, and 452 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,679 Speaker 1: it felt like the dynasty died that night. But the 453 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: Warriors have proved us wrong this season. Don't call it 454 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:39,439 Speaker 1: a come back. Golden State has been here for years. 455 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 1: So with the Warriors back in the NBA Finals, we 456 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: thought we'd revisit that story from January. Here's Beck and 457 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: I back then, discussing how the Warriors kept their dynasty 458 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 1: alive when almost everyone thought it was over. But Toronto 459 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: are back in Oakland again. Stick State Warrior says, we 460 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 1: welcome you so they NBA Finals prus. I thought that 461 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: night that we saw the dynasty literally crumble before us. 462 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: Howard Beck is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who 463 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 1: covers the NBA. Thompson running the floor at a foul 464 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: and Thompson Grants has left me Val writhing at pay 465 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson goes down with the A c L. Just 466 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: a couple of days after we've seen Kevin Durant go 467 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: down with the blown Achilles Leonard at the line to 468 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: ice the game and to win the championship. Free throws 469 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: up and in the Raptors by four cousins in bounds 470 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: the ball. Curry heaves it at the buzzer. It's no good. 471 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 1: The Toronto Raptors are NBA champions. Howard and I were 472 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 1: both there Game six of the NBA Finals, the last 473 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: Warriors game in Oakland, and what we thought was the 474 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: end of their dynasty. The Raptors won their first championship 475 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,639 Speaker 1: that night, and the Warriors were left to deal with 476 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: the fallout. My strongest memory of that night, aside from 477 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: the Raptors celebrating their championship, was going in the back hallways. 478 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: Bob Myers was spent. We were we were just out 479 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: of words, we were out of emotion. I mean, it 480 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: was just I don't know how. You don't as a 481 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 1: human being, you can only process so much. He had 482 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: almost no voice. Remember he'd been in tears a couple 483 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,399 Speaker 1: of nights earlier talking about Durant and how badly he 484 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: felt about Durant going down when they put him back 485 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: out there, and when I gently asked about the possibility 486 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: that this is it, this night is where it all ends, 487 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: he didn't dismiss it out of hand, and he basically 488 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: said that there are these transition moments and you've got 489 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: to be ready for him, and it's okay. However it comes, 490 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 1: it comes, And so he was ready for the possibility 491 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: that the dynasty as we knew it was over. And 492 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: as dark as that night was, Howard and I remember it, 493 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: as do you, things got worse. I mean, it didn't 494 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: all of a sudden get better immediately for them. Klay Thompson, 495 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: as you mentioned here, it's his knee, he comes back, 496 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,919 Speaker 1: he tears his achilles as well. Steph misses most of 497 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,880 Speaker 1: the following season with a hand injury. The Warriors miss 498 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: out on the bubble completely. Not having them for the playoffs, 499 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:18,880 Speaker 1: even in a weird season like that was awfully strange. 500 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,199 Speaker 1: But how bleak did it look for them in their 501 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: darkest hours? You know, the one thing they could fall 502 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 1: back on, John was, Okay, we still have Steph Curry. Granted, 503 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: you know, maybe late prime Steph Curry. And we don't 504 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: know how much more we can get out of him. 505 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,919 Speaker 1: But we still have Steph Curry, and we'll eventually have 506 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson back, and we still have Draymond Green, you know, 507 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: the heart of our defense, the heart of our team 508 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,120 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. But when Clay goes down 509 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: a second time a year later with the Achilles, and 510 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: now he's got back to back two of the toughest injuries, like, 511 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: where's the path out of that? In a weird way though, 512 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: because they go through all this adversity, and Bob Myers 513 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:00,639 Speaker 1: told you that the dark days actually sort of placed 514 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 1: them on this path to rebuild on the fly. And 515 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:07,199 Speaker 1: maybe they wouldn't have gone this way if you know, 516 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 1: Steph had been healthy, if Clay had been healthy. Was 517 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 1: it planned out? No, we we didn't plan to have 518 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 1: play go down for two years for steps and Mids 519 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 1: most of the years two years ago. But it happened, 520 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: and it happened to the NBA, so it afforded this opportunity. 521 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 1: And when you draft high, you try to take the 522 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: player you believe will be end up being the best player. 523 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: They were going to take a step back regardless what's 524 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,959 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant went down Edward's Kevin Durant then decided to 525 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 1: leave the Warriors entirely right. He was m v P 526 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 1: of both finals and their last two championships, So you 527 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: were already going to have to find a way to 528 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 1: kind of reconstitute yourselves, um in a post Durant world. 529 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:53,199 Speaker 1: So Durant leaves, and they fashioned a dual sign and 530 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 1: trade where they send Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets, 531 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: where he was going to sign out right as a 532 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,160 Speaker 1: free agent anyway, and the Nets in turn send D'Angelo 533 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: Russell as a I and trade back to the Warriors. 534 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 1: I don't think they ever thought D'Angelo russells here long term, 535 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 1: but it was a way to get some value out 536 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 1: of Durant leaving. And then they flipped Angelo Russell to 537 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: Minnesota for Andrew Wiggins and a lightly protected first round pick. 538 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 1: They were setting themselves up. They were trying to be 539 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:21,040 Speaker 1: creative and clever on the fly, knowing that they had 540 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 1: to move into some other phase, whatever it would be. 541 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 1: They do have this small grouping of promising young players. 542 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: Jordan Poole has certainly stepped up this season, Jonathan cominga, 543 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: James Weissman. They end up drafting him pretty high. But 544 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 1: some of those guys, Howard end up spending time in 545 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: the G League, which used to be sort of an 546 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: insult to ask guys to work on their game, especially 547 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: if they were picked as highly as James Weissman was. 548 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 1: But Steve Kurt told you, it's not like that anymore. 549 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 1: If not for the G League. This whole thing we're 550 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 1: talking about is like that much harder, right, like your 551 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 1: way hard. And maybe you're force feeding them more minutes 552 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: here if you don't have it, yeah, or you know, 553 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: just trying to play more pickup stuff here. Um, But 554 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: the G League's emergence has really helped in that regard. 555 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: Not that long ago, when the NBA first created what 556 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: was first called the n B d L, the NBA 557 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: Development League, and then the D League and now the 558 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 1: G League, it was spoken about in ways that were 559 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: less than charitable, less less than gracious, and when you 560 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: talked about a player being sent down, it's like in baseball, 561 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: you sent down to the minor, like the even the 562 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 1: verbiage we use is really disparaging. To be sent down 563 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 1: never sounds good, and so lottery picks spending time in 564 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 1: the D or G League unheard of, and agents would 565 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: have thrown a fit. But you have said him my 566 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 1: guy deat my guy was a third overall pick. You 567 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: can't send him to the to the G League. That's 568 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: changed now, and that's a really important and very healthy 569 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: bit of progress for the NBA as a whole. That 570 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: was a really important part of Jordan Pool's development last 571 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: season and a big reason why he is now this 572 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:02,560 Speaker 1: critical part of their team. There's a bunch of guys 573 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: in this league who are now really good players, who 574 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time in the JEW League, and 575 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: we remind our players of that too. Uh, there's no 576 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: there's no shame. It's a It's a legitimate part of development. 577 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 1: And so the Warriors very much see the G League 578 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: as a critical, critical part to developing young players, which 579 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: is interesting for their part because they don't have the 580 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: room to develop their young guys in the present because 581 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: they're still trying to win a championship with their vets. Yeah. 582 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: So all of this from an academic perspective, Howard makes 583 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 1: sense to me as a Philadelphia and I obviously spent 584 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: a lot of time watching the process Sixers, but that's 585 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: different than actually executing the plan. Especially when you have 586 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: a superstar of somebody, say like Steph Curry's caliber. Steph 587 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: was pretty revealing in what he said, which was basically 588 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: that I only want to compete for championships. If the 589 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: goal is that winning championship, and I don't want to 590 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 1: be here. But if you're like, what our options? What 591 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:06,840 Speaker 1: makes sense? What's realistic? Also a rational person understand like 592 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,479 Speaker 1: that's the lead works a certain way. You can't just 593 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 1: wave go on and things are gonna go your way? 594 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 1: Like that gave you the expectation. Steph Curry is there 595 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 1: for one purpose alone. So is Draymond Green and Clay Thompson. 596 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: Now that he's back, you know what the agenda is 597 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 1: for this team right now, and so everything has to 598 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: be funneled towards that. And so the conversation that I 599 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,880 Speaker 1: think that Steph and Draymond and Clay too probably had 600 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: to have with management was well, if you can't get 601 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 1: us immediate help by flipping these picks, now that you've 602 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 1: used them, what is our plan? What is our path? 603 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: Like we're asking now and what we have, there's a 604 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: great opportunity to develop and maintain this score what we've 605 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: done and just give it a shot, and then you 606 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: kind of ride that wave until the signs say, you know, 607 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:56,480 Speaker 1: do something different. So I'm sorry to have to go 608 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 1: who and do what we can in it make it work. 609 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 1: And I think any concerns that the players had have 610 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 1: probably been calmed by a couple of things. One that 611 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: they've been fantastic this season without having needed to cash 612 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 1: out Moody Comingo Wiseman for veterans, Jordan Pool making this leap, 613 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:19,880 Speaker 1: Andrew Wiggins, who, like with Dangelar Russell in the first place, 614 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: were just kind of a flyer. I don't like. The 615 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 1: Warriors knew for sure that what they would get, but 616 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: they've got this wonderful, much more polished version, now matured, 617 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 1: refined version of Andrew Wiggins, and he now feels kind 618 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 1: of essential to them. And then behind all of that, 619 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 1: and it's a kind of an important point, I absolutely 620 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: believe John more than believe that if the Warriors had 621 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 1: had the opportunity to trade some combination of young players 622 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: and picks for immediate help, especially all star help, they 623 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 1: would have. Those deals weren't there. And by the way, 624 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,560 Speaker 1: if a deal presents itself tomorrow, that might cost them 625 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: one of those young guys that they're so high on, 626 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 1: and they are saying, are our future, our post steph 627 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: Clay Draymond future. It could still have and I don't 628 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:05,400 Speaker 1: think it's going to We could still happen. But despite 629 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: all of this, Howard, all these different moving parts that 630 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: are sort of swirling around, all the things that happened 631 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: to them and didn't happen to them by circumstance, they 632 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 1: find themselves in this intersection of what you exactly described, 633 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: playing well now while also looking at the future, and 634 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 1: the degree of difficulty on rebuilding on the fly is 635 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 1: through the roof. And we know that because it's never 636 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 1: really happened before. As you mentioned in the piece, the 637 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 1: last time that it was even tried really was during 638 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 1: the Lakers aboarded trade for Chris Paul, which the league overruled. 639 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: So to put it in historical context, how unique is 640 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 1: what the Warriors are attempting. If they pull it off, 641 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: it's a first of its kind. Right, Teams generally crash 642 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 1: and burn for the obvious reasons. Superstar latent teams that 643 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 1: win championships tend to be older. They've got to run 644 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 1: in them. Maybe it's three years, maybe it's five, maybe 645 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 1: it's seven, but the end of it, they're old and 646 00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,080 Speaker 1: they break down, and you don't usually trade those guys 647 00:33:59,080 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: in their prime, so you don't have high value, high 648 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 1: talent prospects to develop. But the Warriors do now. And 649 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 1: that's the part that's so incredibly unique. Partially by just 650 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 1: circumstances and misfortune, they ended up drafting I because they 651 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 1: were bad for a couple of years because of injuries. 652 00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:21,200 Speaker 1: But they still have Steph and Clay and Draymond who 653 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:23,839 Speaker 1: are still in some semblance of their prime. It may 654 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:25,960 Speaker 1: not be it's not their early prime, it's not their 655 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:27,759 Speaker 1: mid prime. I think it's kind of late prime, if 656 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,879 Speaker 1: I'm just making up terms on the fly. But those 657 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:33,480 Speaker 1: are guys who are still capable of carrying a team 658 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 1: to a championship. So what the Warriors are doing is 659 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: still unique. They are a team that has won three 660 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: championships in recent history, that is only a couple of 661 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:44,760 Speaker 1: years removed, almost now three years removed from their last finals, 662 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 1: that still has their core, and that is developing what 663 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:50,920 Speaker 1: we think might be their next core. I want the 664 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:54,080 Speaker 1: Warriors to be great for the next fifteen years, and 665 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 1: I'm not going to be the coach here for the 666 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 1: next fifteen years. But I want the franchise to do well. 667 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:00,719 Speaker 1: I love Bob, I love Joe, I love in the 668 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:05,000 Speaker 1: front of I want this franchise to be successful for 669 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,600 Speaker 1: a long time. Um. And so if that means that 670 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 1: we grow the next core right now in the next 671 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:14,640 Speaker 1: two years with this team, and they end up taking 672 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: over the team and the team is great for the 673 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,759 Speaker 1: next ten years, I'd be awesome. I would love that. 674 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:22,720 Speaker 1: In the NBA, those of us who have covered the league, 675 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 1: we talk a lot about heat culture, right, that's sort 676 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:27,720 Speaker 1: of like a fun cliche that we all bandy about. 677 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: But what role do you think Kerr and Warriors culture 678 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: has played in being able to pull this off. I 679 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:38,120 Speaker 1: think it's a huge part of it. John. And one 680 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:40,480 Speaker 1: of the interesting things about while I was reporting this 681 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 1: story was that I was expecting to find more of 682 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:45,719 Speaker 1: like the process part of what they were going to 683 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:49,360 Speaker 1: do to develop kuminga Moody weissman, what are the mechanics 684 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: of that? But it's as much about warriors culture as 685 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,520 Speaker 1: it is about teaching them, you know, post up drills. 686 00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 1: And when we talk about warriors culture, a lot of 687 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,520 Speaker 1: that I think is humanity of Bob Meers and Steve 688 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:04,800 Speaker 1: Kerr and their approach to this game and this business. 689 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,319 Speaker 1: I think they've got a very human touch. These are 690 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:11,000 Speaker 1: guys with high emotional intelligence and the kind of organization 691 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: that we'll talk about emotional intelligence. What do we always 692 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:16,080 Speaker 1: hear the Warriors talking about joy? The joy of playing 693 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:17,920 Speaker 1: with stuff, the joy of watching stuff, the joyfulness of 694 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:20,920 Speaker 1: the Warriors. So to the extent that Steve Kerr and 695 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 1: Steph Curry and these guys exude that, that's the environment 696 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,759 Speaker 1: that Wiseman and Moody and Kominga are learning in. They're 697 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 1: getting to learn how to win from guys who have 698 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,160 Speaker 1: done at the highest level. And I'm glad you brought 699 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:37,920 Speaker 1: up the joy component, Howard, because this team this year 700 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,360 Speaker 1: has been full of surprises. I don't think anybody expected 701 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:43,960 Speaker 1: them to be this good this season. But beyond that, 702 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:46,920 Speaker 1: they reminded me that there was a time before they 703 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 1: were inevitable where it was fun to watch the Warriors. 704 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:55,359 Speaker 1: It was fun to watch Steph Curry. Basketball is entertainment, right, 705 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:57,480 Speaker 1: and they have been some of the best entertainers in 706 00:36:57,520 --> 00:36:59,759 Speaker 1: the league for a long time now and now are 707 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,320 Speaker 1: end The worst thing possible is a feeling of inevitability. 708 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 1: You don't want the mystery to go out of it, right, 709 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:08,040 Speaker 1: You want there to be some sense of suspense. And 710 00:37:08,120 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 1: for a while there we just knew it was gonna 711 00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: be Warriors versus Lebron every year. Sure, it resulted in 712 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:15,919 Speaker 1: some great finals, and I think the Ragings were probably 713 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,960 Speaker 1: bonkers and everything else, but was it as much fun? 714 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:23,239 Speaker 1: So they're fresh again now, right, Durant is gone, They're 715 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 1: no longer the evil Empire. They've had to go through 716 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:30,320 Speaker 1: some stuff. They've had injuries, they've been bad, they've been humbled, 717 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:33,319 Speaker 1: and so I think they're they're kind of cuddly again, right. 718 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 1: It's they're they're almost they are almost underdogs, even with 719 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 1: the record that they've got and the season that they've 720 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:42,279 Speaker 1: had there, they almost feel like underdogs where they're there 721 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:44,799 Speaker 1: because they're kind of rising out of the ashes, and 722 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:47,640 Speaker 1: I do I think it's made them more embraceable again, 723 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:51,319 Speaker 1: more embraceable, cuddly, more fun. All these words that you're 724 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:53,800 Speaker 1: using bring to mind a guy that they recently got back, 725 00:37:54,160 --> 00:38:06,359 Speaker 1: Clay Thompson. Now it is a season out of Lassited 726 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 1: State University. Letard Cold Tom. Whether or not you're a 727 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:22,440 Speaker 1: Warriors fan, It's hard not to like Clay Thompson, you 728 00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:25,279 Speaker 1: and I having interacted with him in our professional capacity, 729 00:38:25,560 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 1: but certainly he's quirky, he's he definitely marches to his 730 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:31,359 Speaker 1: own beat. And now having him back and folding him 731 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: not just into what he can do on the court, 732 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 1: but that culture that we talk about with the Warriors 733 00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 1: and sort of making it light and easy, and Clay 734 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 1: doesn't really sweat the small stuff. So having that final 735 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 1: cherry on top of the fun Sunday is is one 736 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,400 Speaker 1: more positive for the Warriors this season. As much as 737 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:50,360 Speaker 1: we talked about Steph Curry, this was it was about 738 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:52,520 Speaker 1: the Splash Brothers, right, It's about the best shooting backcourt 739 00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 1: in the history of the game, as Mark Jackson correctly 740 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:58,520 Speaker 1: proclaimed once upon a time before any of us were 741 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: ready to accept that, well, he's hyping his own guys, 742 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:04,960 Speaker 1: it's a little hyperbolic. No, he was absolutely right. Clay 743 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 1: Thompson would probably be the best shooter in NBA history 744 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:08,520 Speaker 1: if it worked. For the fact that he's playing next 745 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:11,160 Speaker 1: to the best shooter in NBA history. Claytompson has never 746 00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:14,759 Speaker 1: been below from three in a full season is in 747 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:18,280 Speaker 1: his NBA career, and there is something else about him 748 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 1: that just sheen of cool because he is so inflappable, 749 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:24,200 Speaker 1: because he is so copacetic at all times, and because 750 00:39:24,239 --> 00:39:26,920 Speaker 1: he's got that beautiful shot, and because he's likely to 751 00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 1: erupt for maybe ten threes in a quarter or something, 752 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:33,160 Speaker 1: and because of his defense as important as anything to 753 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:35,480 Speaker 1: the part that we always overlook with the Warriors, that 754 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:38,080 Speaker 1: you know, here's this guy who could defend the best 755 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 1: perimeter player on the opponent every night, and so having 756 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:44,160 Speaker 1: him back is what really makes the Warriors whole. I 757 00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:47,279 Speaker 1: think the really fascinating part of this season is that 758 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:49,600 Speaker 1: we started at saying, you know, the Warriors might be 759 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:52,439 Speaker 1: contenders again when Clay gets back, and if Clay is Clay, 760 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:55,440 Speaker 1: and it turns out the Warriors were already back before 761 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 1: even Clay came back. But I still think it is 762 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:01,479 Speaker 1: his presence that will could vince anybody who might still 763 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:04,359 Speaker 1: be a little skeptical that this team actually can go 764 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:08,960 Speaker 1: back and win another title, maybe two, maybe more. We'll 765 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 1: see the greatest teams everybody knew their role and then 766 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:15,839 Speaker 1: play into perfection, so we can be that we can 767 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:17,879 Speaker 1: be one of the variatest dynasties. And it's not over 768 00:40:18,239 --> 00:40:22,839 Speaker 1: truly believe that that is not over. Yeah, Howard Beck, 769 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:26,279 Speaker 1: you are a one man dynasty, unto yourself. Thank you 770 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 1: for doing us. It's a pleasure, John, thanks Man. Sports 771 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:37,840 Speaker 1: Illustrated Weekly is a production of Sports Illustrated and I 772 00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:41,720 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit 773 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:45,040 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 774 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:48,360 Speaker 1: get your favorite shows. And for more of Sports Illustrated 775 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:52,400 Speaker 1: It's best stories and podcasts, visit SI dot com. This 776 00:40:52,440 --> 00:40:55,120 Speaker 1: episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly was produced by Cooper McKim, 777 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:59,120 Speaker 1: Jessica Armoski, and Isaac Lee, who was also our sound engineer. 778 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:03,719 Speaker 1: Our senior producer is Dan Bloom. Our executive producers are 779 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:07,640 Speaker 1: Scott Brodie and me John Gonzalez. Our theme song is 780 00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:10,919 Speaker 1: by Nolan Schneider. Thanks for listening, and if you've stuck 781 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:20,560 Speaker 1: around this long, we leave you with this. Well, uh, John, 782 00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:23,319 Speaker 1: you excited to talk about the Celtics. I should get 783 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:26,359 Speaker 1: paid double for this because I was told that there'd 784 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,000 Speaker 1: be no more Celtics talk after my last job. Who 785 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:31,280 Speaker 1: told you that? Who told you that they lied