NBA Playoffs

How Much Will the Warriors Miss Jarrett Jack?

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This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

Despite an exciting offseason for the Golden State Warriors, they, unfortunately, weren’t able to re-sign their sixth man from last season, Jarrett Jack. The Warriors had to renounce their Bird Rights on him in order to acquire Andre Iguodala. Jack signed a four-year, $25 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers instead.

Jack was a fan favorite. Off the court, he always had great energy, was engaging with the fans, and constantly showed his gratitude for the fans.

On the court, Jack used his infectious energy and toughness effectively in the sixth-man role. Jack averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 assists in 79 games last season, and, in the postseason, he averaged 17.2 points and 4.7 assists. He also finished third in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award voting.

Jack’s toughness and his ability to attack the basket provided the perfect balance to Stephen Curry’s unbelievable three-point shooting. When he played alongside Curry, he played point guard, which allowed Curry to slide over to the shooting guard position, so Curry could focus more on shooting than distributing.

The Warriors will also miss Jack in clutch situations. He hit several big shots during the regular season, and, in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs, he converted on three big shots in a 69-second stretch late in the fourth quarter to help send the game to overtime. Jack also went 5-for-5 in the last 17 minutes of the game.

Although he hit some clutch shots in the postseason, Jack also had several costly turnovers and defensive lapses. In the postseason, Jack averaged 3.2 turnovers and only 4.7 assists. In Game 1 against the Spurs when Manu Ginobili hit the game-winning three, Jack should’ve been the one to rotate over to him and contest the shot.

Some other aspects of Jack’s game that Warriors fans won’t miss is his indecisiveness and bad shot selection at times. On many possessions, Jack would dribble too much and with no purpose or definite plan. Then when the shot clock was about to expire, he’d had to force a tough shot. Other times, he would put up a contested elbow jumpshot, early in the shot clock, before letting a play fully develop.

These types of shots were maddening and quite reminiscent of when Monta Ellis played for the Warriors. Both Jack and Ellis showed a lack of awareness at times. They were so focused on what they could do in the possession that they would miss, for example, Curry wide open for three. Just like when Ellis was a Warrior, Jack’s type of play often took opportunities away from Curry.

Although Jack played well alongside Curry most of the time, Curry will benefit more when he’s able to play alongside Iguodala. First of all, Iguodala is expected to play some minutes as a point forward, which will allow Curry to play off the ball again. Iguodala is a much better decision maker than Jack, and since he drives to the basket more than Jack did, he will draw more attention from the defense, which will free up Curry for threes. Second of all, if Curry is having trouble hitting big shots, Iguodala is a viable option in the clutch.

The Warriors have several players who can pick up the slack at the backup point guard position. Although Toney Douglas and Kent Bazemore aren’t quite the scorers that Jack was, they’re much better defenders. Nemanja Nedovic isn’t known for his defense, but he is much more athletic than Jack, so he can get to the rim much more easily.

Even though Jack was a valuable asset to the team last season, the Warriors made up for his loss with other players who can collectively bring similar, or better, skills. The Warriors wouldn’t have had as successful a season without Jack, but they are still equipped to make another strong playoff run without him.

Let’s Go Warriors 2012-2013 Report Cards: Klay Thompson

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This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

Klay Thompson had a solid sophomore season for the Golden State Warriors last year. He played in all 82 games, and he averaged 16.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 steal on 42.4 percent shooting, 40.1 percent shooting from three, and 84.1 percent free-throw shooting.

As many Warriors fans know, Thompson is known for his three-point shooting, but he’s started to show that he’s not just a catch-and-shoot player. Thompson has shown that he can create his own shot off the dribble, off a fadeaway, and off a pump fake from two-point range and from three. He doesn’t often need to do this though because of his perfect form and quick release of his jump shot.

Thompson put on some incredible shooting displays in the playoffs. For example, in Game 1 in the Warriors’ first round series against the Denver Nuggets, Thompson had a great all-around game scoring 22 points and three blocks on 52.6 percent shooting and 40 percent shooting from three. In Game 2 of that series, he scored 21 points, extremely efficiently, on 72.7 percent shooting and 83.3 percent shooting from three.

(Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

(Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Also, in Game 2 in the Western Conference semifinals series against the San Antonio Spurs, Thompson had 34 points and 14 rebounds on 50 percent shooting and 88.9 percent shooting from three.

Thompson and Stephen Curry, the Splash Brothers, create quite the three-point shooting tandem for the Warriors. They are both so lethal from three-point range that it creates all kinds of matchup problems for their opponent, and it’s hard to contain both of them in one game. The Splash Brothers were arguably the best shooting backcourt in the NBA last season.

Last season, Thompson expanded his game beyond just being an excellent shooter. Thompson became the Warriors’ best perimeter defender. He uses his size (6’7″) and length so effectively, in order to stop smaller guards from shooting mid-range jumpers or driving into the lane. Thompson shut down Ty Lawson in the series against the Nuggets, and he also did a fantastic job slowing down Tony Parker and bothering Manu Ginobili in the series against the Spurs.

Going into his third season in the NBA, Thompson still has room for improvement though. First of all, he needs to become more consistent. After his miraculous Game 2 against the Spurs, he shot 34 percent from the field for the rest of the series, and, in games 4-6, he failed to make a three-pointer.

Also, on the defensive end, he needs to be more consistent about limiting his fouls. In Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Spurs, the Warriors were up by 16 points and Thompson fouled out with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter. At that point, Thompson had limited Parker to 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting. The Spurs then went on a 18-2 run to send the game to overtime. In that span, Parker scored six points on 3-of-3 shooting, since he was able to score more freely without Thompson guarding him. Thompson needs to find a way to stay on the floor and limit his fouls.

(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

Second, Thompson can improve on attacking the basket more and finishing. There were several times last season when Thompson would drive to the basket and would miss a fairly wide-open layup, which fans stared to call a “Klayup.” It didn’t appear that Thompson had trouble getting to the rim, but he couldn’t always finish. Thompson needs to use his quickness more to attack the basket, because as he converts on more of those shots, it will cause defenders to lay off him a little more on the three-point line, in order to prevent him from driving to the basket. Once he’s more comfortable with that, hopefully, finishing the play will become easier.

If Thompson can become more consistent on offense and defense, limit his fouls, and drive to the basket more often and more effectively, than he will become one of the Warriors’ best players, alongside Curry. His development is key to the Warriors’ success.

KlayGrade

Player Breakdown: What Andre Iguodala Brings to the Golden State Warriors

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This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

On Thursday, the Golden State Warriors officially acquired small forward and nine-year NBA veteran Andre Iguodala. The 2012 Eastern Conference All-Star has played for the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets, and he has career averages of 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals in 37.4 minutes per game.

Iguodala, 29, has also played in 41 career playoff games, averaging 14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 steals during the postseason.

In last season’s playoff series against the Warriors, Iguodala averaged 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.0 steals on 50 percent shooting and 48.3 percent shooting from three in 40.5 minutes per game.

Iguodala was offered a four-year, $52 million contract offer with the Sacramento Kings, but the Kings ultimately rescinded the offer. Iguodala wanted to be a Warrior, so he decided to wait and see if the Warriors were going to be able to move their large contracts and sign him.

“Mainly, the coach and the culture, the environment,” Iguodala said about why he wanted to sign with the Warriors. “I feel like they have a good culture there, a lot of great guys, great locker room. The way they’ve got those guys playing with such confidence, that comes from the coach.”

So what will Iguodala bring to the Warriors? Well, he brings a little bit of everything. Iguodala is an extremely versatile player who can play and guard several positions. He can score, he can rebound, he can pass, he’s good in transition, and he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He’s also extremely athletic, he can come through in the clutch, and he’s a fierce competitor.

Because of Iguodala’s defensive prowess, the Warriors now finally have someone strong enough and quick enough to guard the elite small forwards like Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

Just ask Stephen Curry how good of a defender Iguodala is. Iguodala used his length, size, and quickness to disrupt Curry throughout the Warriors’ playoff series against the Nuggets.

Off the court though, Curry and Iguodala are good friends. They both played on the USA men’s national basketball team that won the gold-medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Curry claims that Iguodala will have a positive impact on the Warriors’ team chemistry.

“From my experience with him, he’s a really low key guy who works hard,” Curry said. “He’s not high-maintenance or anything. Doesn’t have an ego. That’s pretty much the make-up of our locker room. He can be a vocal guy, a guy that can check somebody but be respectful about it. He fits that accountability style we’re going for.”

Iguodala seems like the perfect pairing to this Warriors team. First of all, he’s aggressive on offense and likes to drive to the basket, which will help Klay Thompson and Curry get open on the three-point line.

Second, as Curry alluded to, he will be a great addition to the Warriors’ locker room. His veteran leadership and impressive work ethic will set a great example for the younger players on the Warriors such as Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Kent Bazemore, and Nemanja Nedovic.

Third, Iguodala thrives in an up-tempo system, which he played in while on the Nuggets. His speed and athleticism in transition will certainly be a valuable asset to the Warriors.

The Warriors have added other key pieces to their rotation including Nedovic, Marreese Speights, Toney Douglas, and Jermaine O’Neal. The Warriors will have a deep, well-rounded roster next year, and they could definitely make a deep playoff run. The addition of Iguodala makes this Warriors team a serious contender in the Western Conference.

Golden State Warriors: A Perfect Offseason So Far

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Make no mistake, the culture’s changing.

The Golden State Warriors made a series of moves in the past few days that have already, arguably, made them one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They traded Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, Brandon Rush, and first round picks in 2014 and 2017 to the Utah Jazz in order to clear cap space. They also received guard Kevin Murphy in the deal.

April 24, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob (right) and former general manager Larry Riley (right) motion for new general manager Bob Myers (center) to address a question from the media during a press conference before the game against the New Orleans Hornets at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

With more cap room available, the Warriors were able to sign small forward Andre Iguodala to a four-year, $48 million dollar contract. The Warriors have been pursuing Iguodala for a couple years now, and their hard work has finally paid off. The best part of these corresponding moves was that the Warriors were able to keep Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, and Andrew Bogut and reduce their payroll for this upcoming season by $11 million.

Although the Warriors weren’t able to persuade Dwight Howard to sign with them, they still have a fantastic lineup. The Warriors will start Stephen Curry, Thompson or Barnes, Iguodala, David Lee, and Bogut.

Regardless of if Thompson or Barnes will start, the Warriors have so much talent in their starting lineup, with a good mix of both young players and veterans, that they will most certainly contend for some of the top spots in the Western Conference this upcoming season.

The Warriors were not only able to shed a significant amount of cap room, but they also were able to trade two players, Jefferson and Biedrins, who didn’t contribute much of anything last season. It’s a little unfortunate for fans to see Rush leave, but they should be optimistic about the player they were able to get by shedding these contracts.

Iguodala averaged 13.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists with the Nuggets last season. For his career though, he’s averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. His scoring has declined over the past couple years, but he’s also expanded and developed his game more.

The one-time All-Star can do a little bit of everything. He can score, he can rebound, he can pass, and he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He’s also very active and intense on the court. He will bring lots of energy and passion to this team, because he is such a fierce competitor. He also makes big plays on both offense and defense when his team needs it the most, which the Warriors witnessed in their playoff series against the Nuggets. He’s versatile too, as he can play and guard several positions.

May 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) defends Denver Nuggets shooting guard Andre Iguodala (9) on the drive during the first quarter of game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Warriors finally have someone who is strong enough and quick enough to guard players like Kevin Durant and LeBron James. He could also guard Russell Westbrook and help Thompson guard Tony Parker, if the Warriors end up facing the Spurs in the playoffs again next season.

Curry surely knows how good of a defender Iguodala is. Iguodala guarded Curry for much of the Warriors-Nuggets playoff series, and when Iguodala was defending him, Curry had a hard time establishing his rhythm and scoring. Iguodala used his length, size, and quickness to disrupt Curry.

Those two also have a history off the court. They both were on the USA men’s national basketball team that won the gold-medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, and they became good friends. It will be interesting to see how much of their chemistry on the court will carry over from that experience.

The addition of Iguodala will not affect the Warriors’ overall team chemistry. First of all, Iguodala’s skillset matches the other Warriors players’ skillsets very nicely. For example, he is aggressive on offense and likes to drive to the basket, which will help Thompson and Curry get open on the three-point line.

Second, his energy and enthusiasm will be great in the locker room. He’s a veteran presence who can help teach younger players such as Kent Bazemore or Nemanja Nedovic, if he is able to play for the Warriors next season. Iguodala is also a hard worker and focused on winning, which are qualities that can be contagious in a locker room.

Third, Iguodala loves playing in an up-tempo system like the Warriors play in. He loves utilizing his speed and athleticism in transition. He’s also used to playing in fast-paced games, because it’s the same style he played in on the Denver Nuggets.

Iguodala was offered a four-year, $52 million contract offer with the Sacramento Kings, but the Kings ultimately rescinded the offer. Iguodala wanted to play for a contending team, so he clearly wanted to wait and see if the Warriors were going to be able to move their large contracts and sign him.

May 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets shooting guard Andre Iguodala (9) congratulates Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nuggets 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

“Mainly, the coach and the culture, the environment,” Iguodala said about why he wanted to sign with the Warriors. “I feel like they have a good culture there, a lot of great guys, great locker room. The way they’ve got those guys playing with such confidence, that comes from the coach.”

The Warriors still have some areas to address though. Since Festus Ezeli is sidelined with a knee injury, Jarrett Jack signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Carl Landry signed with the Sacramento Kings, the Warriors need to acquire a backup center, a backup point guard (if Nedovic doesn’t play this upcoming season), and another big off the bench.

With the use of their traded player exceptions, the Warriors will have about $17 million to spend before they hit their hard cap. They will have to use this money to acquire players using minimum salary contracts, their full mid-level exception ($5.15 million first-year salary), or either their room exception ($2.6 million) or bi-annual exception (about $2 million).

After all of these moves, both the Warriors and Iguodala have to be extremely happy about this upcoming season. Now that a high-calibur player like Iguodala has signed with the Warriors, Golden State has become a destination where other players will want to play.

This is exactly what Joe Lacob wanted to happen. He wanted to create a winning franchise, make bold moves, and lure big-name free agents to sign with the Warriors. He certainly has done that and more so far. This offseason has been pretty close to perfect for the Warriors.

An Opinionated Reaction to the Heat’s NBA Finals Win
Photo by Jonathan Asuncion. (Philstar.com/NBA.com Philippines)

Photo by Jonathan Asuncion. (Philstar.com/NBA.com Philippines)

After last year’s Finals, I wrote about how disappointed and emotional I was that the Heat won. After the Heat beat the Spurs in Game 7 in this year’s NBA Finals, I can’t say that I’m any less disappointed or emotional. Unfortunately, my disdain and disapproval of the Heat has grown even stronger.

The Heat have a deeper roster than they did last year, so they are more of a “team” than they were last season. However, it still pains me to watch such a disrespectful, classless team win, especially when a quality team like the Spurs had a chance to win. To be fair, the Spurs had their opportunity in Game 6 to win, and they blew it. The Heat earned their Game 7 win, but it’s disappointing to watch a team built on such unsportsmanlike principles win the ultimate title in basketball.

Throughout the regular season, I couldn’t sit through an entire Heat game without feeling angry, baffled, or upset. I couldn’t stand watching a group of players that were so cocky and unsportsmanlike, including LeBron James, Chris Anderson, Chris Bosh, etc.

To be perfectly honest, I don’t mind watching Dwyane Wade. He continues to amaze me on both the offensive and defensive end. He has unmatchable speed, great instincts, and can side-step or fake out anyone he wants to. He also is an incredible shot blocker for a shooting guard. He’s the ultimate fierce competitor and, despite his struggles and battles with injuries, he looked like the best player on the Heat many times.

Despite my appreciation for Dwyane Wade’s game, LeBron James is the one that epitomizes my problems with the Heat. The amount of fawning and pure ass-kissing for LeBron from fans, analysts, and commentators is sickening. People act as if he’s the Messiah. He’s a basketball player. A cocky, ruthless athlete. Calm down, people.

LeBron’s endless complaining is also difficult to watch. Just like a four year-old, when something doesn’t go his way, his instinct is to put on his pouty face and complain. What’s even more maddening is that more often than not, he’s the one that’s creating the contact on the “foul” that he wants to have called.

He is so big and strong that he can get overly physical when on offense and defense and get away with it because of his massive size. He throws his elbows around and will give a sly shove to his defender in order to create the contact, in hopes of getting a foul call. Usually, he can fool a ref by doing that and shoot free throws that way. If not, he’ll receive the normal “superstar” treatment and get to the free throw line automatically. When he doesn’t get to the line, he complains about “being fouled” and acts like a victim.

Ronald Martinez, Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Ronald Martinez, Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Also, he epitomizes everything I loathe about the Heat. Yes, he is incredibly talented, athletic, and competitive. He is the best player in the NBA right now and might be one of the greatest players ever. I won’t deny that. However, I don’t respect how he plays the game. He’s always complaining about calls, grandstanding, unnecessarily taunting opposing teams, and he lacks class. Yes, many superstars have acted like that before. Maybe this is just me, but the players I like and respect the most are the ones that show character. They treat the game and their opponents with respect. They play for the love of the game not the fame, like LeBron does.

For example, one of my favorite NBA players is Kevin Durant. Durant is also a fierce competitor, but he never disrespects the game or his opponents. Even in commercials, Durant is always portrayed as the nice guy, and he’s not portrayed that way intentionally to try to gain fan approval like in LeBron’s commercials. Durant is naturally a kind person, and that’s what makes him the best superstar in the NBA, to me.

Another example is Stephen Curry, my absolute favorite player in the NBA. He is exactly the type of player that an organization would want to be the face of the franchise and would want to build around. He’s respectful, humble, and grateful. Curry is genuinely a good person, and his rise to superstardom has not changed who he is as a person or how he conducts himself on the court.

It was even more frustrating to witness LeBron’s conceited actions and unnecessary theatrics when he was playing a team that is the ultimate example of class. The Spurs organization has been one of the most respected franchises in all of sports for a long time. First of all, they have three of the most genuinely nice, respectful players in the NBA. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili are known league-wide for their respect of the game and their opponents, their dedication, and their hard work.

In addition to these three incredible players, the Spurs have built the core of their team the right way, through the draft. They have stated that they always try to draft players based on their character, not just their talent. They sure have had a lot of success because of these principles. The Spurs are truly the Anti-Heat.

The Heat are built on exactly what I don’t like about sports: big money for the superstars, classless principles, dirty plays, constant complaining, and endless flopping. Because of LeBron’s arrogance, need for approval and acceptance, and the Heat’s grotesque playing habits, it made it really hard for me to respect their success, especially when they were playing against a team who played just as hard but with more respect for their opponents and for the game. The Heat earned their championship, but that doesn’t mean they deserved it.

Golden State Warriors: Is Mark Jackson a Coach or a Motivator?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

After a rough inaugural season as head coach of the Golden State Warriors in 2011-2012, Mark Jackson led the Warriors to their first playoff berth since 2007 this season and only their second trip to the playoffs in 19 seasons. He led the Warriors to a 47-35 record this season, and he came in seventh for the Coach of the Year Award. Despite his accomplishments, Jackson has been labeled as more of a motivator than a fundamental coach. Head assistant coach Mike Malone has been known to be the X’s and O’s coach of the staff, meaning he drew up the majority of the plays for the Warriors. Malone is expected to take a head coaching job with another NBA team though, such as the Sacramento Kings, so, next season, in Jackson’s first full season without Malone by his side, will he prove that he’s a true coach or that he’s just a motivator?

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson instructs against the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Jackson’s motivational skills are arguably the best in the NBA, and he has certainly showcased them in his passionate speeches to his team during timeouts. Based on his background as a pastor at True Love Worship Center International in Van Nuys, CA in the offseason, Jackson surely knows how to preach. This season, Jackson did a fantastic job preaching defense to his young team. The Warriors ranked fourth in the NBA during the regular season for opponent’s field goal percentage at 43.9 percent. Also, after ranking 28th in the NBA during the 2011-2012 season with 39.2 rebounds per game, Jackson preached the need for more of an overall team effort on the boards. His preaching led to the Warriors tying for second in the NBA this season with 45 rebounds per game.

Clearly, Jackson’s motivation and belief in his players has led to significant improvements in key aspects of their game plan. During the 2012-2013 season, Jackson made the Warriors a better defensive and rebounding team, which they needed to become in order to have a successful season and make the playoffs. However, it’s not clear if the Warriors improved because of his X’s and O’s coaching or because of his motivational skills.

Besides their improvements on the court, another significant reason why the Warriors were successful this year was because they had a “never give up” mentality, which was instilled in them by Jackson. Jackson became the face of a team that continued to defy expectations, and their great team chemistry continued to grow because of his energy and passion.

“I think we showed this year that it’s a big factor from the top down, from coach Jackson through all his staff and through our players…” Curry said when asked about the Warriors’ chemistry. “The vibe in our locker room is real energetic and fun and real personable, I think from Day 1.”

Like the San Francisco Giants, the Warriors thrived off being labeled the underdogs and loved playing as a team and unselfishly. The Warriors would not have become the group of fighters that they were without Jackson’s motivation and belief in them.

May 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson (center) leads a team huddle against the Denver Nuggets after game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nuggets 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

“We’ve got a lot of heart and character and we’re resilient,” Bogut said after the Warriors were eliminated by the Spurs. “We could’ve let this series go in Game 1…But we never gave up in this series or the Denver series. Just kept fighting and that’s all you can ask.”

It can’t be stressed enough how Mark Jackson has truly changed the culture of the Warriors so far in his coaching tenure. In his first season as head coach, the Warriors experienced several injuries to key players, and Monta Ellis, a fan favorite, was traded rather suddenly for Andrew Bogut, who was injured at the time and out for the remainder of the season. Jackson was able to stifle many concerns going into this past season because of his belief in the system they had implemented and the culture that he had started to grow. He even claimed that trading Ellis helped changed the culture as well.

This season, Jackson and the Warriors overcame many people counting them out of the playoff conversation, especially after Brandon Rush tore his ACL in his left knee in the second game of the season. Jackson continued to motivate his team by telling them they would have to find a way to win without Rush, which they did. The Warriors continued to defy expectations, but whenever they hit a rough patch during the season, they knew where to turn. Jackson always found a way to inspire and motivate his team to do better and play their style of basketball. This Warriors team seemed more confident and proud of themselves than any other Warriors team in the recent past because of Jackson’s passion alone.

“Sometimes one of the best statements you can make is fight,” Jackson said after the Warriors lost to the Spurs in Game 6. “At the end of the day, our tank will be empty and our light will be bright. I truly believe that’s exactly what took place. Guys battled, guys gave me everything they had. We fought and I could not be prouder of any group.”

Despite his inspirational speeches, Jackson rarely had the clipboard during timeouts, meaning, he was rarely the one to draw up plays. Since that was mainly Malone’s job, Jackson found his place as the motivator. He admirably filled this role, but since it’s likely that Malone will no longer be a part of his coaching staff next year, Jackson will perhaps have assistant coach Pete Myers fill the role of the X’s and O’s coach. As Nate Timmons of Colorado Sports Guy has said, sometimes the hardest part about coaching is motivating a team to succeed. Even though he might not be considered as a pure, fundamental coach, Jackson is surely one of the best motivators in the league, which makes him well-suited for the Warriors.