From pregame in Miami, in reverse chronological order: Draymond Green at shootaround on the young guys including Jonathan Kuminga and Steve Kerr pregame presser, also touched on Kuminga. I only have partial video of the Draymond interview and hope to have the whole thing on the YouTube channel by tomorrow. Also please join us for the live chat now!
GSW-MIA LIVE COMMENTARY
STEVE PREGAME MIA
• Steve Kerr: “Biggest thing we’re trying to do is connect the game at both ends.” (95.7 The Game)
• Kerr on Kuminga: “Jonathan has been great…We’ve spent a lot of time together since camp started and he’s been very coachable. He listens. Works really hard. You know, the biggest thing is, he just needs more time. And not just game reps, but practice reps and experience in the NBA game.” (me, 95.7 The Game, Kerith Burke)
• On Steve Nash and the Brooklyn Nets parting ways: “I feel for Steve. I think he has all the qualities to be a brilliant coach…Just needs more of a stable environment.” Kerr says that it’s a good reminder of how important overall team situations are for successful coaching: “It was a good reminder… that we are all at the whim of players, front office’s leadership, you really need a solid situation in which to thrive as a coach … throw either one of us in that situation we wouldn’t have done any better.” (Dalton Johnson, 95.7 The Game, Madeline Kenney, me)
DRAY MORNING SHOOTAROUND MIA
• Draymond Green on the salsa dancing: “You gotta embrace the vibe.” (me)
• On the struggles: “You gotta understand the process…guys are also learning what it’s like to defend a championship…every guy’s best shot…adjusting and learning how to handle that is key.” (me)
• On what to focus on amongst the many struggles: “What we know is the fouling is a problem. Fouling way too much…You’re playing against a set defense every time,” he explained. “In Game 70 it’s hard to play against a set defense every play. In Game 7? Way harder. There’s no continuity, you’re still figuring your offense out. You can help yourself out with that with pace. But if you’re always fouling, you can’t get the pace of the game where you want the pace. I know that’s a huge area where we can improve on the defensive end, is just defending without fouling, making guys make shots. If they make the shot, we can still get out and push the ball. But when we’re fouling we’re facing a set defense almost every play, and that’s tough.” (Dalton Johnson, me)
• On how hard it is for a younger guy to go in and be ready for defensive stops: “I wanted minutes to I had to figure it out…and get a stop. As a young guy in the league you gotta figure out opportunities.” (me)
• On his own experience as a young guy going into a game late for defense: “Coach Jackson put me in to guard Kobe…he missed it (laughs).” (me)
• On if the struggles are related to the Xs and Os: “It’s always tougher to get everyone to buy in and understand how important that side of the floor is…I don’t think (the struggles are) from an Xs and Os standpoint.” (me)
• On what mistakes are happening: “If you’re a young guy and you’re making effort-related mistakes, no coach is putting on you.” (me)
• On Kuminga: “It’s a process…kid who’s always been extremely highly-rated…you get to this level and everybody’s good…how you get through adversity defines what your career becomes…it’s on us to help him with it.” (me)
• On Donte: “we don’t heroes, we always say…get healthy in the long run.” (me)
• On Wiseman: “the more reps you get, the more comfortable you get, the more understanding you’ll have. He’s biggest area of growth will be his knowledge of the game and that takes time.” (me)
👍👍💛💙