Nba Finals, Kerr against Udoka: the challenge on the bench can be decisive

The spotlight is on Steph Curry and Jayson Tatum. On Klay Thompson and Jaylen Brown, Draymond Green and Marcus Smart. But those 2022 are also the Finals of Steve Kerr and Ime Udoka, the coaches of Golden State and Boston. So different in experience, the veteran against the rookie, so alike in formation (they both grew up watching Popovich) and in belief (the team above all). Their long-distance duel, their ability to interpret matches, to find the right counter-move to something that doesn’t work on the pitch, can be decisive.

the sample

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Kerr, 56, leads Golden State to the sixth Finals in eight years. “We were all younger the first time we were here,” he says with a smile, digging up the past just to point out how much his he Warriors have grown up. They are also different from 2015, when they won the first of four consecutive duels 4-2 against Cleveland and LeBron James.

“We managed to build a culture that survived the worst NBA record two years ago – he says -. After the 2019 Finals, with all we had lost, we needed some time for youth development and management to rebuild the team. But we have remained faithful to our principles, making it clear to our players that we want them to do the work they need, that they have fun but understand that training is the chance for them to improve, with us putting the best possible resources at their disposal. I think that Steph is the symbol of everything we believe in, that his presence from the beginning is what has allowed this culture to flourish ”. This culture, the restyling after the last time in the Finals and the “rest” resulting from the non-invitation to the bubble in 2020 are what put Golden State back on track. The team that returned to fight for the title after 3 years is different from the last one that lost it from Toronto. Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are still the heart of the Warriors, but the grafts of Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins and a handpicked collection of veterans have changed everything. Golden State is back to play for the throne of the NBA.

the challenger

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Udoka, 44, made his head coach debut on an NBA bench as best he could, putting Pop’s teachings into practice to transform Boston from flop to runner-up this season. “The Celtics, however, are not celebrating the conference titles – he repeats, taking up a sentence said after the victory in race-7 in Miami -. We are not satisfied with having arrived this far, let’s think about what awaits us after race-7 “. What awaits Boston is a streak with no field advantage against a team that has what the Celtics don’t have: experience.

“But ours is a mature group – says Udoka -. Coaches and I who have had experience in Finals have already explained to the group what to expect. Smart, Horford and the other veterans are tasked with keeping everyone on earth. And I’m certainly not worried about Tatum or Brown. I don’t think anyone will be intimidated by the stage: we know our opponents, those who await us are matches like the ones we faced to get here. We will be ready for race-1 “. While Udoka studies the Warriors and how to beat them, his medical staff try to get Robert Williams and Marcus Smart back on their feet, bruised during the series with Miami and finally able to rest. They will be key to defense, which remains the Celtics’ primary weapon. “But sometimes it’s not the obvious things that make the difference.” This is why the challenge on the bench, the one between Kerr and Udoka, could be the one that makes the difference.