We’re over a month in, teams worked a quarter of their games, and in a few hours we won’t be able to say “but it’s only November” anymore. As if NBA in December should count.
The mold is taking shape. The Suns and Warriors take each other on Tuesday night, TNT game, John Schuhmann assures us the thing is rather unprecedented:
In the 25 seasons prior to this one, 24 teams had won at least 17 of their first 20 games. Nine of those 24 had reached The Finals the previous season, while 11 of the 24 would reach The Finals in the season they won at least 17 of their first 20. This season, we have two teams that have won at least 17 of their first 20 games, they both can’t reach The Finals, and they’ll face each other twice this week.
Are the Warriors a surprise? Good, we thought, but this great? Tops in defense and second in offense despite 16.1 turnovers a game, despite Klay Thompson’s absence, despite it being 2021.
Steve Kerr was in that suck-ass Jordan documentary, wearing Warriors gear, every one of his current and future Warriors watched his talking head slide right between Jordan and Phil Jackson and Kerr is going to ignore the worst of Phil Jackson …
With the West Coast trip at hand, I went to the bookstore to shop for books to give to each player, coach and, of course, Chip. I gave the new players copies of the book I wrote a couple years ago, Sacred Hoops, so they could get a feel for my thinking, background and the principles of the triangle offense.
For the vets, I got books by authors I had bought for them before. Harp got another Walter Mosley mystery. Michael and Scottie were easy, because they don't read. It didn't matter what I bought them. Kerr and Chip [Schaefer, trainer] need stimulating stuff because they’re both big readers.
But what should I do about Krause? He doesn't have a lot of interests except sports experts and fishing. I considered Any Idiot Can Manage and How to Be an Enlightened Team Builder but thought that would be a slap in the face.
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