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00:00All guests on 95.7 The Game appear on the River Islands guest line.
00:03Isn't it time for you to discover the islands?
00:06River Islands in Lathrop.
00:08We're joined now by Sleepy Floyd, 13-year NBA veteran.
00:12He played six seasons with the Golden State Warriors, and of course,
00:14he holds the NBA playoff record for points in a quarter, 29 and a half, 39.
00:21He did it in 1987.
00:22Sleepy, thank you so much for joining us, man.
00:24Appreciate it.
00:26Thanks for having me.
00:26How are you guys doing today?
00:28We're doing great.
00:29Let's start out with you being a movie star, or at least having a movie based on you.
00:36It's called Freaky Tales.
00:38It premieres, I guess, nationwide tomorrow.
00:43Tell us about this movie and how it all came about and what your role is in it.
00:49Oh yeah, I mean, I had the director and writer and their staff reach out to me
00:57with the idea of the movie.
00:59And it turns out the writer from the Bay Area, and he used to watch the Warriors game
01:07back in the 80s with his dad, with his father.
01:11And that was a great memory for him.
01:14And then translate years later, he becomes this great writer and director in Hollywood.
01:20And he had this idea of the movie for many, many years.
01:24And when it came to fruition, they reached out to me and fished the thought and the idea to me.
01:31And of course, what am I going to say?
01:33No, it was an awesome opportunity and really highlighting the Bay Area and the music industry
01:41and kind of what was going on culturally out there in the Bay Area at that time,
01:46and how it influenced so many people in the area.
01:49And it's also highlighting a lot of the top spots and locations in Oakland,
01:55in the Bay Area that was so popular back then.
01:59And so a lot of the scenes are shot on locations that were pretty familiar to people back in that era.
02:07And I think they did a tremendous job.
02:09And I was just so excited and delighted that, you know,
02:14that it was based on my character from that game against the Lakers in 1987.
02:22And who knew it would still impact people to this day.
02:25So I'm very blessed and happy to be a part of it.
02:28Yeah.
02:28And we're excited to see it too, Sleepy.
02:30And I was at the game against Milwaukee.
02:33I guess you were with Too Short and the director.
02:35And I was watching from afar.
02:36But May 10th, 1987, I was in Union City with my dad.
02:41And we watched you set a playoff record, 29 points in the third quarter, as my partner mentioned.
02:46And in the Steve Kerr era, Sleepy, as you know, they've won four titles.
02:50And we've seen Klay, Steph, Kevin Durant.
02:53But nobody's touched that record.
02:56Can you just talk about us, tell us a little bit about that day,
02:59and how much pride you take in that performance scoring 51 points?
03:05Well, as you know, you know, anything you do against the Lakers at that time
03:08was going to be pretty significant, especially in the playoff.
03:13You know, they were such a dynamic team.
03:15And obviously, champions with Magic and so many iconic players.
03:19And Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.
03:22And you got Pat Rowley with his slick back hair on the side.
03:26So they had the whole image and the showtime persona pretty well established at that point.
03:33So we were just supporting, you know, we were trying to make a mark in the league
03:37as an up-and-coming team.
03:39We had some great, I had some great teammates.
03:41And Joe Barry Carroll and Purvis Short and Mr. Mean and Chris Mullin, of course.
03:46And so we were just trying to make a mark.
03:48And once we knocked off Utah in the first round,
03:52have an opportunity to go up against the Lakers in the second round.
03:56We were just looking forward to it as a team because we always played them pretty well.
04:01Because we were an up-tempo style team ourselves.
04:04We had, you know, some great shooters and myself being able to penetrate
04:08and create so many mismatches.
04:10So we felt confident going.
04:13I mean, it's disappointing we only got one game off them in that playoffs.
04:16Because we felt that we really had the chance as a team to be able to have a game the way I had.
04:23And, you know, set those kind of records and give the Bay Area fans
04:27something to cheer for on that Sunday, which was Mother's Day.
04:31And back in 1987, it was just a tremendous accomplishment.
04:38And to this day, I have Bay Area fans that reach out to me periodically,
04:44reminding me, you know, what that day meant to them.
04:46So, you know, we were down 14 going into the fourth quarter, I think.
04:52And I just took it upon myself to say,
04:54I'm going to try to make something positive happen every time down the court.
04:58And once I scored, you know, two or three baskets in a row,
05:01and when I heard J.B. telling me to keep shooting, I knew I was doing something right.
05:06Love it.
05:07Hey, yeah, I'm looking at it right here.
05:10Sleepy Floyd made 12 consecutive shots in the fourth quarter.
05:1512 straight.
05:16Superman.
05:19Yeah, I mean, that was pretty amazing.
05:21At that point, you know, everything was instinctive.
05:23I really wasn't thinking about what I was doing or
05:26or I was just playing like I was, you know, back home in the gym that I grew up in.
05:31And, you know, we're trying to make a comeback.
05:33But obviously, we had a great coach and George Call.
05:37And we had a lot of competitive players on our team
05:43that we really wanted to win that game and really thought we had a chance to,
05:47if we could go back to L.A. and win that game,
05:50the next game after that, that we would have a chance.
05:53But obviously, you know, excited.
05:56And unbelievably, this has turned into a movie based on my character.
06:02So it's pretty phenomenal.
06:03Let me let me ask you this.
06:05We're talking to Sleepy Floyd, former Golden State Warrior.
06:08I know you watch the Warriors now.
06:10If I were to ask you, what changed when the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler?
06:16How would you answer that?
06:19Oh, what I think it did gave him an identity.
06:22Obviously, Draymond Green has a defensive presence
06:27and an impact on the court as an enforcer, bringing Jimmy Butler on.
06:33I think it alleviated some pressure from Draymond Green.
06:36It allowed the Warriors to get to the free throw line
06:39because Jimmy creates so many opportunities at the free throw line.
06:43So you have Steph Curry, you know, who shoots a lot of long range shots.
06:50So a lot of times you don't get to the line as many times as other teams if you do that.
06:54So having Jimmy Butler implemented into the starting lineup
07:01and as a team teammate of the Warriors, he just created so many mismatches.
07:06So two things, he alleviated some pressure off of Draymond Green
07:10and also allowed the team to get to the free throw line offensively.
07:16Um, say when those shots aren't going or Steph,
07:19Steph is on the bench that he can carry the team offensively.
07:22And the other role players are playing well.
07:24Also Prudzinski and, um, and the other guys, uh, Buddy Hill,
07:30those guys have really stepped up their game.
07:32So sometimes what happens when you get a superstar like Jimmy Butler,
07:36the other players down on your bench, the role players start to believe,
07:41uh, in what they're doing and they're gaining confidence
07:44just by playing and being around a guy like that.
07:46So it was kind of what, what the Lakers had back in 1987.
07:50I mean, when you had magic and, and Kareem on your team,
07:54a lot of those role player role players on the Lakers team
07:57played a lot better when you play with guys like that.
08:00So Jimmy has been an outstanding addition to the Warriors and,
08:04and they really have a chance, um, depending on the seedings and how
08:08the playoff goal really make a long run in this playoff theory.
08:12Yeah, Sleepy, and it starts tonight, uh, you know,
08:14with LeBron James and what he's doing at age 40.
08:18But Steph Curry, Sleepy, I'm a fan.
08:20You're a former player.
08:21We both love the game.
08:22What do you see when you watch Steph perform?
08:25You just dropped 52 in Memphis, still going strong.
08:28Can you just walk us through the Sleepy Floyd prism of
08:31when you watch Steph ball, what do you see?
08:35When I watch him play, I was shocked at playing this era.
08:37That's what I first of all think.
08:40Because you have the opportunity to play a wide open style, uh,
08:43shoot three pointers.
08:45If you, if you're like Steph, I mean, if you have an opportunity
08:48to shoot a three, as opposed to shooting a two, uh, then,
08:52you know, your opportunities go up and, and, and you impact
08:54the game, you know, in another dimension, you know, a lot better.
08:59So, um, watching Steph play, I mean, it's amazing the way
09:02he moves without the ball.
09:04He demands so much attention from the opposing team that it
09:08opens up opportunities for the other players, as I was
09:11mentioning before.
09:12But, you know, he's obviously the best shooter in the history
09:16of the game and, and, and the range in which he takes his
09:19opportunities just puts so much pressure on the opposing team
09:23and it opens up the inside for the Warriors as well.
09:26So, I mean, being able to watch him over the last 10 years
09:30or so, it's been a, you know, it's awesome to watch a guy
09:34play with that intensity, with that, um, I would say
09:39happiness.
09:39He plays with a great joy when he plays.
09:42And I think that, uh, infiltrates throughout the team,
09:45um, and, and makes them, you know, you enjoy the game when
09:48you see someone out there smiling and competing at the
09:51high level, not, you know, not just smiling and joking around,
09:54but he's smiling and really competing because he's very
09:58competitive.
09:59Um, it just makes the game more fun and enjoyable for the
10:02players.
10:03So, uh, when I watched him play step play, uh, it's an
10:07admiration of his ability and his shot making ability.
10:10And, and, and this is character in this, you know, how he
10:14impacts, uh, the game overall.
10:17He's really changed the game, uh, from what it used to be
10:20when I played.
10:22Eric, sleepy Floyd joining us on 95, seven, the game.
10:25Um, you know, speaking of, of your era and what's going on
10:28now, there's, it seems there's a, there's just a little
10:30perception.
10:31The, the older guys don't necessarily respect the younger
10:34guys and their game and the, and the younger guys don't
10:37respect the, the players that, that came before them.
10:40Uh, what's your perspective on this as a, as a guy who, you
10:44know, set the table for everybody who's playing today?
10:48No, I definitely respect them.
10:50I think, uh, this generation of players so much more skill.
10:54Um, I think for drilling, passing, shooting, doing all
10:59those kinds of things, I mean, you can go to each and every
11:02team and maybe find three guys that can, can, uh, demonstrate
11:07those kinds of abilities.
11:08So, uh, I give them all the credit in the world that they,
11:12they eat better than what we did back in, you know, they have
11:14nutritionists and, um, personal trainers year round.
11:18So they're able to maximize, you know, their talent and, and
11:23really push their, you know, push up, push their workout
11:27habits to, to the limit where they, they're getting better
11:30each and every season.
11:32So no, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a Amara of this generation and I just
11:37enjoy watching them.
11:38I think we had, uh, you know, in our era, it was a little more
11:41physical, I would say, uh, the style of play, but I think the
11:46change in the game has been more entertaining painting to the
11:50fans.
11:51And, and as you had seen the ratings go up a lot more
11:54because it's more entertaining.
11:55It's just, you know, why football, you know, change so
11:58much in their game.
11:59You know, you want more up tempo, uh, more scoring, uh,
12:05baseball has made some adjustments, putting in a shot
12:08clock.
12:08So these professional, uh, leagues are trying to implement
12:12things that will be entertaining, but also competitive
12:16and really showcase the abilities and talents of their
12:20players, um, you know, the respective leagues.
12:24So no, I love what the players are doing today and not only
12:27what they're doing on the court, but off the court, most of
12:30these guys have foundations that they're impacting communities
12:34in which they live or play in.
12:36And, and, and they really using a voice to really make a
12:39difference and give back to the community.
12:40So I admire what they're doing on the court and also what
12:44they're doing off the court as well.
12:45Great stuff.
12:46Sleepy.
12:46There's a great article by a one Marcus Thompson in the
12:49athletic, and he's talking to Draymond green and Draymond
12:52is basically given just his inside intelligence about
12:56defense.
12:56And he might be different defensive player of the year,
12:59but I'm always joking with my partner here about, you know,
13:02sleepy reminds me of this player, that player, give me a
13:05comp when, when you see Draymond green at his best on the
13:09defensive end, sleepy, have you played or encountered another
13:12guy that, you know, is not the biggest in stature, but just
13:16kind of controls everything from a defensive standpoint.
13:20Oh yeah.
13:21I mean, um, Dennis Rodman was one, um, that played to play
13:26one through five positions as Draymond can as well, uh, really
13:31come in and they do it every night.
13:32You know, some guys can have a great defensive night, you know,
13:35periodically, but guys like Draymond and Dennis Rodman to be
13:39able to do it consistently night in and night out.
13:42And each night you knew what you had to deal with, but it was
13:45nothing you could do about it.
13:46And, and, and they impact the game, whether they're scoring
13:49or not.
13:50Um, uh, I would say Draymond green.
13:53I mean, um, Dennis Rodman would be the one that I would compare
13:57to Draymond green.
13:58Hey sleepy, you know who, uh, you know, Draymond green would
14:02have fit perfectly on.
14:03Oh, you know what I'm going to say?
14:06Don't you?
14:08Who's that?
14:08He could have played for John Thompson on those Georgetown
14:12teams you were on, right?
14:14Oh, he would have been a perfect fit.
14:16Coach Thompson would have loved him.
14:17Cause we had so many guys like Draymond, uh, you know, the
14:22Michael Graham and, and, uh, Patrick Ewing and, and Alonzo
14:27morning and Kimbe Matombo.
14:29I mean, he should have been a whole year.
14:31I wish we could redo that one.
14:33Well, yeah, you were talking about Steph and how he plays
14:35with joy and he's having a lot of fun.
14:37And I was thinking, yeah, he might not have fit on those
14:40Georgetown teams.
14:42No, no coach Thompson didn't allow a lot of smiling on the
14:45court.
14:47I mean, I, yeah, I mean, I'm, I'm a little younger than you,
14:50but I just, I mean, you guys were, I mean, you guys brought
14:54intimidation to a new level with those teams.
14:57I mean, what can you, can you just tell me a little bit about
15:01what it was like playing for John Thompson?
15:04Oh, it was great.
15:04I mean, we had a nickname, Hoya Paranoia,
15:09Beach Study East and all those different terms.
15:12And, um, and we earned it.
15:14I mean, we were very good, uh, defensively, obviously having
15:17Patrick Ewing in the back of a defense, we could really, you
15:21know, press full court and we did it for the, uh, 94 feet.
15:25Um, throughout the entire game, we were high pressured.
15:28Um, we had great guards, uh, guards with a lot of quickness
15:32and, and coach Thompson coast aggressively.
15:35And, um, so we were very physical.
15:38We always had, we had one guy that one of my good friends,
15:42I mean, coach Thompson was true to him from the post office and
15:48saw air sprays back then.
15:49Actually, did he have any eligibility left?
15:52And he ended up at Georgetown because he was so big.
15:55So, um, no, uh, yeah, I mean, in the league, the big East back
16:00then was very physical.
16:02I mean, you had Syracuse, you had Villanova, St.
16:06John's, you know, with Chris Mullen and his crew, they were
16:09very good.
16:10Um, Connecticut had some great teams back in the day.
16:15So the big East was, you know, the more physical conference,
16:19uh, during my era.
16:20I mean, I know you had the ACC and the big 10, but the big East
16:24was looked upon as one of the most, or the most physical
16:28conference, um, basketball and basketball, um, in the country
16:33at that time.
16:33Yeah, no doubt about it.
16:34Well, listen, I know you've, uh, you may have heard this before,
16:37but we want to send you out with this.
17:11All right.
17:12Great, great stuff.
17:13Thank you guys.
17:14I appreciate that.
17:15It made my day.