• 4 days ago
Transcript
00:00Coach Kerr is with us and every week Great Clips sponsors our conversation with Coach
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00:35Out from the east where the Warriors sit, it is Coach Kerr.
00:38Hey Coach, how are we doing today?
00:39Fantastic.
00:40How are you guys?
00:41We're good.
00:42I actually want to start off by playing something for you.
00:45Some commentary from someone in your business.
00:47Can I play this for you real quick?
00:49Yeah.
00:50Yeah.
00:51You got it.
00:52All right.
00:53Here he is.
00:54I guess we had a three on one fast break where two guys went for the alley oop and it didn't
00:55go in.
00:56And, you know, my good friend Steve Kerr text me.
00:59I'm like, what was the hell was up with that three on one?
01:02And I said, yeah, yeah.
01:03You know, I know, coach.
01:04And he was like, well, just to see you feel better.
01:06Draymond would have did the same thing.
01:08And Steph would have pulled up and shot a three.
01:10All right.
01:11So for those who don't know, that's Tommy Lloyd, the head coach in Arizona.
01:15You're blowing up his phone after that game, huh?
01:19Yeah.
01:20We're pretty tight.
01:21Tommy's a great guy.
01:23Fantastic coach.
01:24And we've gotten really tight over the years.
01:27So we text pretty frequently and I wanted to make him feel better.
01:31So, yeah, I just let him know our guys would have done the exact same thing.
01:34So don't worry about it.
01:35Gutsy win for the Cats and up next, it's the fight in Dunleavy's.
01:40Any side action between you and Mike with Duke and Arizona?
01:44There will for sure be side action and, you know, no spread necessary.
01:49I mean, I know we're heavy underdogs, but I don't, you know, I'm not, I'm not, I don't
01:55need any help.
01:56I do.
01:57We're going to take them down.
01:58Okay.
01:59So that's happening Thursday night.
02:00Night off for you guys, like, are you the type that likes to go with the person who's
02:06rooting against you and watch together, or do you want to be as far away from Dunleavy
02:10as possible?
02:11That's a good question.
02:12I have to admit, I mean, last night I turned it on and before I could even sit down, it
02:21was 18 to four.
02:25I turned it off and I watched White Lotus.
02:27Nice.
02:28I mean, yeah.
02:29I was watching White Lotus with a game on the laptop, same thing, Steve.
02:34Yeah.
02:35No, it was, I didn't even have the game on, I couldn't bear to watch it, so I watched
02:39White Lotus and then White Lotus ended, I turned it back to the game, we were up 10,
02:44so it worked.
02:45I love it.
02:46Well played, coach.
02:47Well played.
02:48Yeah.
02:49No doubt.
02:50You know, I'm, I'm, I'm not a rookie.
02:51I know how to do this stuff.
02:52Smart.
02:53Smart.
02:55Wait a minute.
02:56If you guys are down by 10 in the first quarter tomorrow night, you're suggesting we go like
02:59watch Netflix or something?
03:01Yes.
03:02You guys should definitely do that.
03:03Okay.
03:04It's helpful.
03:05All right.
03:06Give it a shot.
03:07I mean, that's one approach, but man, you were down 27 to five, I think, last time on
03:10the road and we all talked about how we couldn't turn it off.
03:13And so even the Atlanta game, which kind of started out a little bit wonky, we all were,
03:18were locked in.
03:19What did you think of the effort after a first quarter where it seemed like Atlanta just
03:24simply couldn't miss?
03:25Yeah.
03:26I mean, I just felt like we couldn't get our legs underneath us that first quarter.
03:31I think we gave up 40 points.
03:33They were running right past us.
03:36We weren't there defensively.
03:37They didn't feel us.
03:38And from that point on, I thought we played a really solid game.
03:42You know, we only had 10 turnovers, 29 assists, shot the ball fine, you know, nothing special,
03:48but it was one of those games where the first quarter was a difference and we just were
03:54swimming upstream the rest of the way.
03:56We couldn't, couldn't catch them and it took a great effort from them.
04:00They had a lot of guys who, who really stepped up.
04:02George Neang was amazing.
04:03So it was one of those games and you just, you got to move on.
04:07You can't, you can't worry too much about it.
04:10Coach, this is just a man to man question here.
04:13I'm very curious about like how this sits with you.
04:18You guys could use rest.
04:20And so to be in one city for four nights, I bet that's wonderful.
04:24At the same time, that city is Miami and you coach a bunch of very young, rich men.
04:30So is this like a, right?
04:32Is this a good thing or a bad thing that's happening this week?
04:36I'll tell you after the results of the next couple of games.
04:40Fair enough.
04:41But I mean, do you guys have conversations about that?
04:45Because it's also very well discussed.
04:47In fact, recently by Jimmy Butler, that you really will let the guys go be them.
04:51Yeah.
04:52You know, we, we go over the schedule before the season starts.
04:57Once, once we get the schedule from the league, we go over the travel and what it would look
05:02like.
05:03And, and I can tell you this, if, if, if I hadn't, if the guys had seen the schedule
05:09and I said, no, we're going to leave Miami immediately and go to New Orleans, even though
05:14we don't play for a couple of days, that would have been disastrous for team morale.
05:19So, you know, it's pretty, this stuff's pretty easy.
05:23You just, you know, the guys, these guys deserve to go out and they, they work so hard all
05:28year long.
05:29This is a wonderful break to get a few days in Miami.
05:33Guys are on the beach, guys are out having fun, but they all know, I mean, it's, they,
05:39they have to be ready for the game tomorrow night.
05:41And I trust that they, that they will be.
05:43Is Steph going to be ready?
05:45I know you can't officially declare it, but how did he look today with the, the pelvic
05:50contusion that he suffered?
05:51How was he moving around out there?
05:53He was moving really well.
05:55We didn't scrimmage at all.
05:57So it was all, you know, non-contact stuff, but he looked good.
06:01He felt good.
06:02And we'll just continue to list him as questionable for tomorrow.
06:06And Rick will, we'll make the decision.
06:08Steve, I know that you're no stranger to this.
06:12For whatever reason, Jonathan Kaminga is someone that people just want to discuss every
06:17day and, and, and really micro every single maneuver he makes out there.
06:22I'd love to know what you see since he's returned in terms of both health and fitting in to,
06:29as you put it, a brand new team.
06:31Yeah, I think he's coming along, you know, his, his first couple of games, he really
06:38played well that first night out.
06:40I'm always of the mindset that with injured guys, the first game is the easiest one there.
06:46They're just running on adrenaline.
06:48I can't wait to get back.
06:50It's the next couple that, that seem to get guys and, but I think JK, you know, he came
06:56out great game against Sacramento the first game back little rusty, you know, for a couple
07:02of games.
07:03And I think the biggest thing, honestly, is we are a different team.
07:07We're a completely different team now since, you know, before his injury.
07:12And it's obviously because we have Jimmy Butler and Jimmy is, he's the best ISO player in
07:19the league.
07:20I mean, by analytics, he's the number one ISO player in the league.
07:23So you can see, you guys are watching the games.
07:25Our style has shifted a little bit.
07:27We're playing through Jimmy, you know, and Steph, of course, but we've got to have spacing.
07:33We've got to, we've got to play around Jimmy and we're, we're doing different things now.
07:39So it's an adjustment period for JK for sure.
07:42And we're trying to figure out rotations as well.
07:44You know, we've got a lot of guys over the last couple, couple months where, who are
07:49really playing well.
07:50I think Gary Payton has been one of our best players.
07:53You know, you look at that guy and the energy that he's brought and, and you know, buddy
07:58heel playing well.
07:59So a lot of guys playing well, the team's playing well.
08:02So, you know, it's up to JK to just play as hard as he can and fit in and, and, you know,
08:08let it play out how it plays out.
08:10Does that ISO through Jimmy style not favor Jonathan as much as it does maybe Gary who
08:15can sit in the corner and spot up or Brandon who can shoot the three from above the break?
08:20Well, we're still kind of, you know, looking at the combinations and, and, you know, but
08:26you can see how teams are, are playing us.
08:29You know, Toronto, the other night, they didn't guard anybody other than step eight.
08:33They, they, they, they hounded step everywhere.
08:36They stayed with, with buddy maybe stayed with, with Brandon and then they just sat
08:42in the paint off of everybody else.
08:44And it's not the first time we've seen that kind of defense.
08:48Memphis has done that to us for years.
08:50It's very effective.
08:51You know, when teams have big guys like portal and Scotty Barnes Toronto, you know, Toronto
08:57had Memphis has here in Jackson and they're all, they're linked.
09:00So that's a, that's a way that teams have, have defended us.
09:05And you know, when you see that, you've, you've got to figure it out.
09:08You got to figure out how you're going to handle the, the way they're guarding stuff.
09:14And it, it comes down to space and you've got to, you got to have space on the floor
09:19to make teams pay for that kind of defense.
09:22Steve, this, this is not just about Jonathan Kaminga.
09:27It's about the whole group.
09:28And as you sort of, sort of discussed there, like you guys are trying to figure out the
09:32new rotation.
09:33I remember after the Pistons game, you were like, I have to keep playing Guy Santos, but
09:37there have been nights where it's been a struggle for him to get minutes.
09:40What has the challenge been like for you in, in that before Jonathan came back, it looked
09:45like you finally had those rotations really set and now, now they go into a not set sort
09:52of a way again.
09:53Yeah.
09:54Yeah.
09:55That's all part of the deal in this league and, and you're, you're kind of doing that
09:59all season long based on injuries and results and, you know, you're mixing and matching
10:04when you do find something, you want to stick with it.
10:07And we've obviously found something, you know, these last 20 games, so we're going to, we're
10:11going to stay with it.
10:12But we also want to incorporate JK because he's a talented player and he can help us
10:16win games.
10:17And that's why, you know, the, the whole focus for him just has to be, you know, sprint
10:23the floor rebound, you know, because of his athleticism and his force, that's how you
10:30really feel, you know, his, his presence on the court.
10:34So that's what we're encouraging to him.
10:36And then as you guys know, I mean, guys, you guys get injured, you know, things happen,
10:41things change quickly in this week.
10:43So everyone just has to stay ready.
10:45Steve Kerr with us as he is every week, Willard and Dibbs.
10:47So then what, what about Guy Santos?
10:50You've called him a connector, but for instance, Saturday night, only four minutes, where,
10:55where do you see him currently as far as this rotation is concerned?
11:00Well, that's the tricky part, you know, where, where you get, you get everybody healthy.
11:05They're just on that many minutes and I love what Guy brings to the table.
11:09I love the passing.
11:10I love the, the feel.
11:12He crashes every, every offensive board, you know, trying to, trying to get us extra possessions,
11:17but he's really a good player for us and he's been very effective and, but I can't play,
11:24you know, 11, 12 people.
11:25I did that early in the season, but I just don't think that's the way to go right now.
11:30So his minutes have been limited since JK came back.
11:34We're trying to play them together a little bit.
11:37You know, we're, we're trying different things, but again, it's, it's sort of a game by game
11:42basis.
11:43It just seems like fans are hot and cold on Buddy Heald, depending on how he does and
11:48if he shoots.
11:49I was just watching Saturday and he only took two shots.
11:51What do you think it was that led Buddy to not really look to score as much?
11:55Did they clamp down on him or is it a little bit of a crisis of confidence for Buddy Heald?
12:01No, no, not at all, but Buddy never lacked confidence.
12:05It was really just the way Atlanta guarded us.
12:07They pushed out on all of our shooters and, and, you know, trying to pack the paint, you
12:12know, with the non-shooters and, and so they, they were, they did a good job on Buddy.
12:18They, we didn't, we didn't get him freed up well enough and we got to do a better job
12:21of that.
12:22Steve, what do you think tomorrow night really means for Jimmy?
12:26Well, I, I haven't talked to him about it.
12:30You know, we had a practice today.
12:31He's, he's been here obviously the last couple of days and he's, he's got a lot of people
12:36here who he's connecting with and I think he's enjoying being back, but tomorrow will
12:41be, um, you know, a heated atmosphere, uh, no pun intended.
12:45It was just, you know, he was such a, an amazing player for this franchise and, um, meant so
12:52much to the fans and, um, I think it will be very emotional for him, for, for a lot
12:57of people.
12:58But Jimmy's, uh, he's an incredible competitor.
13:02That's the main thing I've learned about him.
13:04And, uh, I know he's going to go out there and compete like crazy and, and get through
13:08it fine.
13:09And, uh, hopefully we can get back on track here.
13:11There's been a lot of talk over the years about the heat culture, Pat Riley and Eric
13:15Spolstra and Jimmy certainly was a big part of it.
13:18When you think about the warrior culture, what are the things that you think are the
13:22hallmarks of what you've tried to create there?
13:27I think Steph Curry is, is he represents the, uh, the culture of the team.
13:32And I think it's based on a great combination of joy and competitive desire.
13:38And those things, you know, people don't think those things go hand in hand.
13:42I think they go directly hand in hand.
13:44We've got competitors who love to play the game.
13:47Um, those are the kinds of guys we target.
13:50Um, I think you see the joy that step brings to the game.
13:53You see the, the, uh, the fun that the guys are having, you know, when we're playing,
13:58but there's a, there's an underlying fierce competitiveness, um, that has helped us win
14:04at the highest level multiple times.
14:06And, um, I think those are really the, the, the two kind of main values of, of, of warriors
14:13culture.
14:14And like I said, it, it comes, it comes from Steph Curry.
14:17And I wonder coach, how you see that sort of fitting Jimmy Butler.
14:21I get that we're in this honeymoon phase, but, but I wonder what you think about the
14:26sustainability of it and the fit for that culture with Jimmy Butler.
14:30Oh, I think it's, uh, easily sustainable because, um, you know, he loves to play basketball
14:38and he loves to win.
14:40And so he fits right in with, uh, with our guys and what we're trying to accomplish.
14:44And we lost the Philadelphia game, uh, a couple of weeks ago and he sat that game out.
14:50He had a back issue.
14:52And um, soon as the game ended, he came over to me and said, coach, I, I, I'm sorry.
14:56I hate losing.
14:57I can't.
14:58I can't sit out any more games.
14:59And I told him, I go, you gotta, you gotta stay healthy.
15:02You know, if you have to sit out a game, you gotta sit out a game.
15:05And Jimmy said, no way.
15:06I can't, we can't lose anymore.
15:08I mean, this guy is a, an amazing competitor and he plays that way.
15:14Um, but you don't, you don't get to that level, uh, if you don't love to play the game and
15:21he, he loves basketball.
15:22He loves being out on the floor.
15:25It's been fun to, to watch him and agree with our guys.
15:27And Draymond is cut from the same cloth and I, I can't help but think about, you know,
15:31an older Draymond who's having to play the five a lot and you know, him maybe needing
15:36a day here or there.
15:37Have you thought about it with Rick Celebrini and as a staff about possible load management
15:43over the last 11 or is it going to be, if healthy, you got to go out there cause we're
15:47chasing the six.
15:48Yeah, if he's, if he's healthy, he's playing and uh, you know, that's not coming from me.
15:55That's coming from him.
15:56I mean, he is, again, one of the world's great competitors and, um, we are in a huge fight
16:02trying to, you know, stay out of the play and, and, uh, get directly into the playoffs.
16:08So there are, there are no plans for that, but, um, you know, that's all related to health
16:15too.
16:16So we'll see.
16:17Hopefully he, uh, he holds up fine and he plays the rest of the games.
16:20Coach, is there any scenario in your career, player or coach that you can think of that's
16:25kind of similar to what Jimmy will go through tomorrow night?
16:28Maybe KD back to OKC or even anything back in your playing days?
16:33Well for sure, um, you know, returning to OKC, that was, uh, that was as emotional a
16:41night as I, I've ever experienced, um, in the NBA.
16:44Uh, I'm sure there are others.
16:47Uh, you know, I, I remember, uh, when I played for the bulls, uh, we played the Lakers when
16:54magic Johnson decided to make his comeback.
16:57And so that game was at the, at the forum, you know, big, big night, you know, a national
17:02TV, uh, you know, bulls, Lakers, magic Michael.
17:07Uh, that was, that was a pretty cool return, um, and a pretty cool night.
17:11And then of course, when Michael returned from baseball after two years, uh, that game
17:17was amazing.
17:18We, uh, market square arena, the Pacers and, uh, national TV, um, that was just a crazy
17:26atmosphere.
17:27I mean, I know Jimmy is a 35 year old vet and he can handle this, but do you say anything
17:31to him differently before the game tomorrow?
17:36Only if I feel it, you know, he, he, he's such a pro, he knows, uh, you know what he's
17:41dealing with.
17:42Um, he knows we've got his support.
17:44Um, if I feel like I need to say something, I will, but, uh, my gut is I don't, I don't
17:49need to say much to Jimmy.
17:50I mean, he, uh, he gets it.
17:53He's been in this league a long time and, um, he'll be ready to go.
17:56Steve, when you won the last title in Chicago, it was a veteran laden team.
18:01I was wondering if you had had a talk with your vets about that year where it was Rodman
18:06at 37 and Michael was 35 and I think Ron Harper 34 and you and Scotty were 33 a piece.
18:13Has there been a time where you've shared that experience of being the older guys and
18:18still getting it done with this team?
18:20Nope.
18:21I, I don't spend a whole lot of time, you know, talking about my playing days, um, you
18:27know, or my teams that I played on.
18:28I use the experiences, uh, that I had, um, you know, with those teams in my coaching,
18:34but I, I don't necessarily tell them the story.
18:37They don't want to hear that stuff.
18:38They don't want to hear about the old guy from, you know, 30 years ago.
18:41So, uh, Steve, did you see that guy that scored 42 points for the heat last night?
18:47Sure.
18:48Good.
18:49Sure.
18:50Good.
18:51Yeah.
18:52What's up?
18:53I was excited for wigs.
18:56We all can't wait to see him tomorrow and hopefully he doesn't give us 42, but I root
19:01for, I root for that guy, uh, and I will for the rest of his career.
19:05Uh, but, um, yeah, that'll be, that'll be special to see him tomorrow too.
19:10Yeah.
19:11What, what kind of an interaction do you expect when you guys, uh, when you guys see him on
19:14the court?
19:15Oh, a million hugs.
19:17Everybody loves wigs as they should just an incredible human being and we miss him around
19:22here and, and, uh, all of his teammates just feel, um, you know, so much love for wigs.
19:29So it'll be a hug fest out there for sure.
19:31Uh, coach.
19:32All right, here we go.
19:34Uh, what kind of importance do you put on, on tomorrow night beyond the obvious, but
19:38because of the loss on Saturday, how would you kind of describe, uh, where, where your
19:44team is at mentally going into this one?
19:46Oh, I think we're in a great place.
19:49I mean, you always look at, um, the NBA kind of in segments, you know, you can't get through
19:54the 82.
19:55If you get too emotional with every single game and, um, you know, I looked at these
20:00last 20 games, we've lost four games, I think, uh, since we've had Jimmy all for, um, right
20:08down to the wire, uh, you know, teams, um, playing really, really well.
20:14Individual players, I mean, Clinton Grimes did 44 on us in Philadelphia, you know, George
20:20nuts the other night, uh, you know, in Atlanta, Aaron Gordon last week, like 39 points, whatever
20:25it was.
20:26Uh, I'm encouraged because when we have lost, um, teams have had to play really well to
20:32beat us.
20:33And the games have still been right there, you know, down the stretch.
20:36So, um, I think, uh, I think we're in a good place.
20:40We've been playing consistent basketball and each time we've lost, we've responded really
20:45well.
20:46So that's what I expect tomorrow.
20:47Coach.
20:48All right.
20:49Well done.
20:50We're looking forward to it.
20:51Thank you so much.
20:52And enjoy the rest of the trip out there in Miami.
20:53All right.
20:54Sounds good, guys.
20:55Thanks for having me.
20:56Okay.
20:57There he is.
20:58Coach Kerr with his weekly visit right here on Willard and Dip.