Q&A with Dubs owner Joe Lacob
On goal for the season: ‘We’re on a mission. We’re not done.’
SAN ANTONIO — Monday’s Western Conference title celebration wasn’t nearly as emotional as the past two times the Warriors have captured the crown.
But there were still plenty of emotion and pictures and hats and — of course — team CEO Joe Lacob at the center of it all, meeting with a small group of reporters about 30 minutes after his team clinched a third straight NBA Finals appearance.
Lacob took questions on Finals redemption, preferring the Cavaliers, Kevin Durant’s integration, the tricky Steve Kerr health/coaching situation and what has been a stress-free postseason.
Q: How much do you feel redemption is on the mind?
A: “A lot. I kind of honestly feel that we’re on a mission.
“Honestly, I don’t really care who we play (shoots a sly grin). OK, maybe a slight preference for Cleveland. Only because I feel we have some unfinished business from last season.” — Warriors CEO Joe Lacob
We’re not done. We got to go back and get some of what kind of feels taken from us last year. I’ll just leave it at that.”
Q: How much has Kevin meant to this team?
A: “Fantastic. You saw his game the last two games. He’s been amazing. He fits perfectly. That’s my greatest happiness is that he gets to go to the Finals now, he loves his teammates and fits so well in the organization. It feels so great that it worked out so well to this point.”
Q: When you went to recruit him, did you talk to him about this moment?
A: “Well, not this moment. Another moment beyond this moment (laughs). Obviously this is the goal. We have a lot of work to do still. But it’s a great feeling to get here and have an opportunity to play for the championship.”
Q: How is it that he seamlessly fit into the team?
A: “Tremendous acceptance. And it was really born back in Long Island when we all met last summer. Our other players who are tremendous stars in and of themselves made a pitch that he would totally be integrated and accepted and they were willing to sacrifice whatever to do that and go win championships. Those guys really used honest words and it was exactly what they said and I think it’s really worked out.”
Q: How sparkling does that 12-0 record sound?
A: “That’s obviously nice. But it doesn’t matter if you win 4-3, 4-2, 4-0. Point is to get there and play for the championship and then we start over.”
Q: At this point, Cleveland looks like it will probably be the East champions. Do you want it to be Cleveland?
A: “Honestly, I don’t really care who we play (shoots a sly grin). OK, maybe a slight preference for Cleveland. Only because I feel we have some unfinished business from last season.”
Q: (Where you worried) when you watched this team — Spurs cut it to a 10-point deficit in the third quarter.
A: “I honestly didn’t really notice it. I just felt like we were really in command and were going to win the game. I’ve never been so stress-free, which is kind of a weird feeling. A very strange feeling, actually, to sit there and feel very little stress. Our guys are playing at an elite level. We have an incredible team, we’re well coached. We’re ready.”
Q: So this postseason, you haven’t had any stress?
A: “Very little. Crossing my fingers here because you don’t know what’s going to happen. We’re starting over now. This is the goal, to get here. And we’ll see what happens.”
Q: Where are you with the coaching situation. Is it Mike Brown’s team now?
A: “You know, it is. He’s coaching on the floor. But Steve (Kerr) is obviously around, there, very involved. And he put in the systems we operate under and the style of play. He has a tremendous amount of responsibility for us getting here. But Mike has done a terrific job.”
Q: How comfortable are you with this two-coach approach you have going?
A: “I’m not really thinking about it. We have to make it work. That’s our situation.”
Q: At this point is Mike Brown your coach going into the Finals?
A: “That’s up to Steve, honestly. We’ll see how he feels. We’ve got nine days between now and then. I certainly would hope he’d feel better. But if not, we’re prepared to go the way we are. Whatever it takes, our players are ready.”
Q: Is this team better than last year’s?
A: “I think it is. Honestly. I think we’re better. It’s hard not to be better when you have a guy as good as Kevin Durant on your team. We were awful good last year. The one difference is Steph (Curry) was hurt, as we all know. How much we can debate. But he was not what you see out there now. Then of course we had some other issues in the Finals. With Kevin, this is a very, very good team. The opposition is going to be good in the Finals. So not taking anything for granted.”