After news came out that Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will be back on the sidelines for his team in Game 2, it has given the Oakland faithful more reason to be optimistic about their chances of winning another title this year. Outside of the Warriors, there’s also someone from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who is glad to hear that he’s healthy enough to coach again.
When asked to give his thoughts about his counterpart’s return, Tyronn Lue said, via Ron Kroichick of the SF Gate, that it’s great to know he’ll go up against Kerr in the finals again.
“It’s just great to see him back. Steve Kerr is a guy I respected even before he started coaching. I just like who he is as a person, and throughout the course of the playoffs I’ve checked on him, and we text and talk.
“So it’s good to have him back over there. And if anything happens with their team, their leader is back. So it’s always good to have your leader back, and I’m just happy to have Steve back and healthy.”
This definitely says a lot about Lue as he wants to compete against the Warriors at full strength. As a competitor, he understands that beating their opponents with a complete and healthy roster is better than winning with a depleted lineup. Same goes for the coaching staff, the game on Sunday will be the first time he’ll be back on the bench after missing all of his team’s games since the second match of their first round series against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Despite his absence, the Dubs have continued to win, maintaining a perfect record in the postseason so far. With Kerr’s return, it might spell more trouble for the Wine and Gold, but Lue knows it will be more fulfilling to win their second straight championship knowing their opponents are complete, from the players, down to the coaching staff.