San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
BIG 3’S TITLE DAYS ARE DONE
Warriors’ old core can’t be relied upon to carry franchise in the stacked West
The NBA’s exit interviews are seldom to be confused with actual strategy. They lean heavily toward sentiment, the sweetest memories, as if romance plays an overriding role in the difficult business decisions ahead.
Sometimes it all works out, and “run it back” sounds perfectly feasible. The Golden State Warriors are not in that position.
I can think of worse developments than Klay Thompson and Draymond Green joining Stephen Curry for another try. Up until this season, I claimed the team would always be championship favorites if those three were on the floor together. And they’re still a better show than, say, the Boston Celtics (more on them later), because they play a beautiful ball-movement game that’s in place no matter who takes the court.
Still, the NBA has caught up to the Warriors and dismissed them to the depths of 10th place. Oklahoma City and Minnesota are rising fast in the Western Conference, with superstar guards not bothered in the slightest by Curry and Thompson. The undersized Warriors flatly admit they have no answers for Nikola Jokic (Denver) or Zion Williamson (New Orleans). Memphis will be a postseason threat with Ja Morant rejoining an explosive young core. Dallas is developing legitimate support for 25-year-old Luka Doncic. Sacramento has taken clear ownership of Northern California, and who knows where Victor Wembanyama might lead San Antonio once the team builds around him?
Gracious, it’s so over. Zero titles for the Big Three if they’re all with the Warriors next season. No disgrace — it’s just the natural order of things, age giving way to youth. When Thompson and Curry come up so terribly short in elimination games (Lakers last year, now Sacramento), the signs are particularly disturbing.
We’re so lucky in the Bay Area to have a museum full of awe-inspiring history: The Joe Montana years, Steve Young’s bold ascent, coach John Madden
and the Kenny Stabler-led Raiders, the A’s run of three titles, Rickey Henderson and Dave Stewart on the same Oakland team, and the Giants of Bruce Bochy, Buster Posey, Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner. It was sad to see it end, all of it, but with time comes perspective and appreciation, certain to be in place when we look back on the Warriors’ dynastic run. Gazing upon three statues standing together outside Chase Center, we’ll be blessed once again to have borne witness.
Whither Klay?
It’s not so difficult to picture Thompson elsewhere, shooting the lights out before a fired-up fan base in New York, Philadelphia or Indiana. (Just guessing, but any Western Conference setting would seem too awkward.) Then again, it would be awfully sweet to see him play an entire Hall of Fame career in one city, a path fashioned by Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and a flock of Boston Celtics from the Bill Russell years. You can understand why the man
looks so conflicted these days.
Curry has a turnover problem — his mom said that years ago — and he hasn’t fixed it. Not even close (six in the exit game). Contrast that with Chicago point guard Coby White, who played 43 minutes without a turnover in the Bulls’ play-in victory over Atlanta. Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton makes a habit of such games; he dished out 32 assists over a twogame span without a turnover — an NBA record — and overall he played eight turnover-free games this season when playing at least 33 minutes.
The Celtics, for all the praise heaped upon them, tend to address crucial possessions with five 3point shooters forming a circle around the perimeter, hoping no-clutch Jayson Tatum will hit a contested shot. They have no chance to get through a challenging playoff series that way.
Odd to see Brandon Crawford pass through Oracle Park as a backup shortstop and reflective interview. It’s a good situation for the St. Louis Cardinals, because starter Masyn Winn has made a study of Crawford’s defense, and Brandon respects
the kid for his speed, rocket arm and improving bat (.347 through Thursday). We’ll see how the Cards handle their roster when former Stanford star Tommy Edman, an infield mainstay who played a lot of shortstop over the past two seasons, comes back from wrist surgery.
Joey Bart offered only fleeting glimpses of his potential in a Giants uniform, but he has already provided more of them in Pittsburgh with some absolute rockets off his bat. As the backup to catcher Henry Davis, the No. 1 overall draft pick three years ago, Bart belted two homers and a double in his first three starts.
Not missed, at least around the Lounge: the
incessant real-time drumming at A’s games. It was never cool or particularly creative, and it provided a really annoying soundtrack to a sport that shouldn’t have one. The A’s could bring in the Oakland Symphony orchestra to this year’s games and it wouldn’t diminish the gloom.
Love conquers all
It’s invigorating to see broadcaster Mike Krukow back on the field again before Giants games (he needed to take a two-game break Thursday and Friday), chatting up the personnel and gaining insights from his up-close inspection of batting and infield practice. Walking has become so difficult due to the escalating weakness in his legs, and he’s now using an e-chair to get around.
Broadcast partner Duane Kuiper recently visited Krukow at his home in Reno, “and he saw me with my chair — I’m in it all the time now,” Krukow said this week in a telephone interview.
“Kuip said, ‘We’ve gotta get you one of those for the ballpark,’ and he went straight to Larry Baer.”
The Giants’ CEO didn’t hesitate, purchasing an e-chair at considerable expense to fit Krukow’s exact needs for the ramps, elevators and broadcast booth at Oracle Park.
“It’s so great, because I can go anywhere now,” Krukow said. “I’m in the clubhouse, I can get to the suites if my family’s there, it’s a whole new world for me. But, hey … I don’t want to draw any attention to this. I just want to rock along and kind of, you know, do the deal.”
As the supervisor of Giants broadcasting, Baer has always made it clear that the organization would do anything for Krukow and Kuiper to make their complicated lives more comfortable.
“Mike’s iconic, like family, part of our DNA,” Baer said via telephone. “As painful as it is to realize what he’s gone through, when he’s on the air — radio, television, whatever — you’d think he’s like 40 years old and 100% good.”
The real beauty of it is that he’s like that off the air, too. A more passionate lover of life has yet to pass our way.