It is widely accepted that the NBA is a copycat league. Teams adopt and steal the tried, true and tested tactics of other teams in an attempt to procure success.
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The pick-and-roll centric offenses that teams run nowadays was borne from Mike D’Antoni’s offense with the Phoenix Suns. Former Boston Celtics’ assistant coach Tom Thibodeau’s “overloading the strong side” defense is being run by virtually every defense in the league. And now, most of the league is trending towards the San Antonio Spurs’ brand of European basketball that features heavy three-point shot selection.
But that’s not all the teams in the league are “stealing” from the Spurs. They are, after all, one of the most successful franchises in recent history – making the playoffs every year since 1997. They have only missed out on the playoffs once since 1989 – the longest streak of any such achievement. Their franchise is the golden standard of consistency and success, and it is no surprise that teams have begun following in their footsteps.
March 23, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (right) instructs guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
In fact, the Golden State Warriors are one of the teams. Hiring Steve Kerr during the offseason was not a mere coincidence. Learning most of his craft under coach Gregg Popovich, Kerr has learnt from the best. Four of his last five seasons were under Pop, and during that time, he spent more time on the bench than he ever did in his career.
This season, we’ve even seen a few Pop-like decisions from Kerr. Kerr hasn’t been shy when it comes to resting his players, and he’s even earned the ire of fans who wanted to see the Warriors’ stars play. Despite playing the best basketball of his career, Stephen Curry is averaging the least amount of minutes (aside from his injury-plagued 2011-12 season) in his career. The same goes for Andrew Bogut, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala – who are all averaging the least amount of minutes per game in their career (second-lowest for Thompson).
The Warriors’ offense also bears some uncanny resemblance from the Spurs’ offense. Both are motion-heavy read offenses that thrive on off-the-ball cuts and off-ball screens. One of the few distinctions is that the Warriors are more trigger-happy when it comes to three-pointers, and they prefer to push the ball at every opportunity, but that is indicative of the personnel of the two teams.
Apr 1, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and guard Tony Parker (9) talk against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. San Antonio Spurs defeated the Orlando Magic 103-91. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Another similarity between Kerr and Pop is their demeanour on the court. Kerr, despite his usual cool and calm attitude, has been one of the league’s most fined coaches this season. He has accrued nine technical fouls – the third highest in the league. Pop, his mentor, has eight this season. Kerr berating officials has been quite a regular sight this season, and he points to it as standing up for his players. After all, you would rather your coach receive a technical than your star player, which is why Kerr is regular stands up for his players.
But, what about the future? Where do the Warriors go from here, from an organizational standpoint?
The Warriors should use the Spurs as a model, and follow in their footsteps. The Spurs have prioritised keeping their players together, and as a result, have found undeniable success. Keeping Pop at the helm for 19 seasons has paid off for them, and it’s almost impossible to find such loyalty to a franchise in the modern-day NBA.
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In Steve Kerr, the Warriors have a coach with a bright future. He has already broken several franchise and league records in his rookie year, and there’s no telling how he will be able to top himself next season. Retaining Kerr and the team’s core should be the front office’s top priority during the offseason, and consistency needs to be the keyword for the Warriors moving forward.
The Spurs have been the league’s most dominant team in recent history. If the Warriors follow their franchise model – who knows, we could be saying that about the Warriors in the near future.